Home Affairs Minister Launches 'Village Heads Enter Campus' Programme to Boost Rural Growth

Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian has emphasised that the Village Heads Enter Campus (KDMK) programme is part of the implementation of President Prabowo’s Asta Cita vision, which focuses on building from the village level to achieve economic equality and poverty eradication. Speaking at the opening of the programme’s second cohort at the University of Indonesia (UI) in Depok, West Java, on Tuesday, Tito stated that 56 percent of the population currently lives in cities, while 44 percent reside in rural areas. He stressed the need to strengthen villages to encourage their growth. Tito outlined three key government efforts to empower villages: the establishment of the Village Law, the creation of a dedicated ministry for villages, and the provision of village funds. He explained that the KDMK programme, in partnership with UI, aims to equip village heads with managerial and technical skills in administration, as well as innovative and creative thinking. The programme also seeks to standardise the competencies of village heads who come from diverse backgrounds but share the same responsibility of managing their villages and advancing their communities. UI was chosen as a partner due to its status as one of the nation’s top universities. Tito expressed hope that the collaboration would enhance the capabilities of village heads, leading to better village management and a positive contribution to national development. The second cohort of KDMK is attended by 434 village heads from 291 sub-districts across 149 regencies and 32 provinces. The activity runs for three days, from 13 to 16 July 2026.