Patriot Expedition 2026 Focuses on These Three Outermost Regions

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Ministry of Transmigration has officially launched the 2026 Patriot Expedition Team (TEP) Programme. Transmigration Minister M. Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara stated that this programme is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the state’s presence in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions, such as Papua, Maluku, and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). “Indonesia is too vast to be discussed only in classrooms and forums. In many places, the land is fertile, the seas are rich, and the future is bright. Yet poverty still lingers there. This nation needs more than just discourse. This nation needs presence,” said Iftitah, quoted on Tuesday (05/05/2026). Through this programme, participants will carry out research, studies, and direct community assistance in their assigned locations. The programme is also said to continue the success of the 2025 TEP implementation in addressing the real needs of communities. In its implementation, the participants’ service period is divided into two schemes: four months for assignments outside Papua and up to one year for those placed in Papua. Participants, who are D4 and S1 graduates, will be involved in various activities, from assisting farmers and fishermen, helping with education processes in schools, supporting healthcare services, to contributing to basic infrastructure development and strengthening the local economy. The Patriot Expedition Programme also involves collaboration with several universities in Indonesia, including Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung, IPB University, Universitas Diponegoro, Universitas Padjadjaran, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Brawijaya, and Universitas Hasanuddin. Nevertheless, Iftitah emphasised that the programme is open to all bachelor’s graduates, including those from universities outside the partnered institutions. The selection process will be conducted in several stages, with the announcement of results scheduled for June 2026. Selected participants will undergo orientation in July before being deployed to their respective assignment locations.