Dominated by Young People, 195 Graduates of IPB University’s Village Government School Strengthen Village Leadership Regeneration
A total of 195 participants of the 2025 Village Government School (SPD) were officially graduated by IPB University.
Interestingly, the 5th cohort of SPD participants is dominated by young people, namely Gen Y (44,7%) and Gen Z (12,8%), signaling the strong process of village leadership regeneration that is increasingly adaptive, data-driven, and oriented toward sustainable development.
The 2025 SPD graduation is the result of a collaboration between IPB University, through the Faculty of Human Ecology (Fema), and the Bogor Regency Government (Pemkab) in strengthening the capacity of village officials.
The Rector of IPB University, Dr Alim Setiawan Slamet, emphasized in his speech that villages are the main foundation of national development. He said that the dominance of the younger generation in this year’s SPD is an important asset for the future transformation of villages.
“This graduation is not the end, but the beginning of broader service. We hope that SPD graduates will become the driving force for change in villages, bringing a spirit of innovation, transparency, and community participation,” he said during his speech at the SPD 2025 Graduation Ceremony at Grha Widya Wisuda, IPB Dramaga Campus (12/23).
Meanwhile, Dean of Fema IPB University, Prof Sofyan Sjaf, explained that the Village Government School was born out of the real need of village governments for applicable knowledge. He mentioned that this program is also integrated with the Precision Village Data innovation, which has been recognized nationally.
According to him, the involvement of the younger generation in villages shows an increase in trust in leadership based on knowledge and data. “This gives us optimism that villages will rise and become a new source of economic growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Regional Autonomy at the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs, Prof (HC) Dr Akmal Malik, emphasized the importance of policy execution and a culture of productivity in villages.
He assessed that the education of village officials must lead to real implementation. “Good public policy must be based on good data and executed with discipline. This is where the role of SPD graduates becomes very strategic,” he said.
The Chair of the Bogor Regency Community and Village Empowerment Office, Drs Hadijana SSos, MSi, emphasized that villages are currently undergoing a paradigm shift in development.
“With the issuance of the latest regulations on villages and the direction of national development that places villages as the subject of development, village officials are required to have capable capacity and strong integrity,” he said.
Drs Hadijana hopes that SPD graduates will be able to apply the principles of good governance and respond to the expectations of village communities for leadership with integrity and fairness. (dr) (IAAS/KQA)
