IPB Rector Detach 262 Students to Join IPB Goes To Field and ASEAN SLP 2018

Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) Goes to Field (IGTF) in 2018 creates a new program called the ASEAN Service Learning Program (ASEAN SLP). It’s a similar program in cooperation with universities in ASEAN countries. IGTF 2018 is the eleventh IGTF implementation, while the new program of ASEAN SLP is the second implementation. The release ceremony of IGTF IPB and ASEAN SLP 2018 students was held on Monday (23/7) at the Andi Hakim Nasoetion Auditorium, Dramaga Bogor Campus of IPB.

Rector of IPB, Dr. Arif Satria in his speech said that IPB students that participate in IGTF and ASEAN SLP 2018 must be willing to learn, hone soft skills and enjoy the process in the field. "You will gain valuable experience in the field and have a lot to learn in the community. In this activity your ability to overcome development problems in the community will increase, "said Arif Satria.

Rector asserted, the ability to understand the needs of the community is important.  Community needs is the basis for us to make research or create innovations that benefiting society.

"Your task is to build, motivate and inspire the children in the area to have a" dream ", willing to go far forward and continue to develop their mindset to learn and achieve," said Arif Satria.

Meanwhile, Head of Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), Dr. Ir. Aji Hermawan, MM explained that IPB Goes to Field and ASEAN SLP are educational activities in the form of student learning with the community by living, adapting, and working together with the community. The status of this activity is non-curricular done voluntarily by student interest and gradually selected. Our goal for IPB Goes to Field and ASEAN SLP is to facilitate IPB partners and improve students' ability to overcome development problems in the community.

The Interest of this activity is increasing from year to year, both from the number of IPB students and the number of other universities who joined. In 2018 IGTF is followed by IPB and Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI). ASEAN SLP was attended by IPB and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Participants of IPB Goes to Field and ASEAN SLP 2018 are 223 IPB students with qualification has completed semester four. Participants came from various study programs at IPB. However, it is preferred that students have expertise that is in accordance with their respective programs.

This year, participants from partner universities, namely UPI, were 30 people and in ASEAN SLP, there were 9 UPM participants. Thus, the total number of students participating in IGTF and ASEAN SLP in 2018 are 262 people.

"Hopefully, IGTF IPB and ASEAN SLP 2018 activities can improve the community's ability to overcome the problems faced, increase the students 'sensitivity to the problems that exist in the community, improve the students' ability to interact with the community and to help society to overcome their problems, the expansion of the partnership network that owned by IPB and the establishment of feedback for IPB to develop Tri Dharma University’s activity "said Aji Hermawan.

This activity was well received by the Head of LPPM UPI, Dr. Yadi Ruyadi and representatives from UPM, Prof. Norsida. Both agreed to get knowledge from IPB on how to deploy students in helping to overcome the problems of agriculture in the community voluntarily.

IPB Goes to Field Activities 2018 was held for three weeks on July 25-August 12, 2018 and ASEAN SLP held for two weeks, ie on July 25-August 03, 2018.

This year, IGTF contains several program, such as rice cultivation development in Tanah Bumbu Regency, Plant Clinic in Pekalongan Regency, Animal Health in SoutSulawesi Province, Animal Husbandry School (SPR) in Kediri and Subang Regency, Upstream-Downstream Development of Fishery and Marine in Sukabumi Regency and Citarum Harum Watershed in Bandung Regency. Meanwhile, the ASEAN SLP Programs are Enhancing Security and Quality of Processed Food Products of UMKM in Kare Sub-district of Madiun Regency, and Pre Master Plan of Karangmulya Tourism Village in Tegal Regency. (jhn)