South Sumatra Governor Initiates 'Export School' Campus to Foster Young Entrepreneurs

South Sumatra Governor Herman Deru has introduced a new breakthrough in entrepreneurship development by initiating the opening of an Export School Campus, touted as the first outdoor export school campus in Indonesia. The idea was presented during the Sultan Muda Campuspreneur event, which coincided with the inauguration of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) for higher education institutions across the Palembang region, themed ‘Building a Campuspreneur Ecosystem through 100,000 Young Sultans to Accelerate the Economy of South Sumatra’. The free programme is expected to serve as a driving force for the emergence of export-oriented young entrepreneurs from South Sumatra. Herman Deru emphasised that the younger generation must be prepared early to seize export opportunities and compete in the global market. ‘These young people are being prepared to face greater challenges in the future. Export opportunities are wide open and we must capture them through knowledge about exports, coupled with competencies that will be assisted by tutors,’ Herman Deru said in a written statement on Wednesday (5/8/2026). He stated that the Provincial Government of South Sumatra will immediately follow up on the programme through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Directorate General of National Export Development of the Ministry of Trade, Sultan Muda Sumsel, universities, and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) this month. ‘The target is that by September there will be real action. This school is free. This is the first in Indonesia with an outdoor campus concept. Not only will participants receive academic learning, but they will also be directly introduced to buyers from abroad. We want young people to take advantage of existing export opportunities,’ he asserted. According to Herman Deru, the existence of the Export School Campus will strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem in South Sumatra while increasing the interest of the younger generation to become entrepreneurs capable of penetrating the international market. The Sultan Muda Campuspreneur programme involves nine universities in Palembang and one university in Prabumulih, with a target of producing 10,000 new entrepreneurs from the campus environment. The presence of the Export School Campus is expected to make South Sumatra a new barometer in producing young entrepreneurs who are not only superior in the local market but also able to compete in the global market. Director General of National Export Development at the Ministry of Trade, Fajarini Puntodewi, expressed appreciation for the South Sumatra Provincial Government’s initiative. ‘Congratulations on the inauguration of the HIPMI management for higher education institutions across the Palembang region. Hopefully, it can encourage the birth of young entrepreneurs who are committed, innovative, and able to penetrate the world market. We hope this Sultan Muda Campuspreneur programme can go global,’ she said. She added that Indonesia’s exports grew by 7.9 percent last year, although Indonesia’s share of the global market remains below 1.1 percent. ‘Therefore, initiatives like those undertaken by South Sumatra are very important,’ she added.