Samarinda - The Rector of Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK), Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Agus Rubiyanto, M.Eng.Sc., attended the send-off ceremony for the East Kalimantan Collaborative Community Service Program, known as KKN Kolaborasi, which involved nine universities across East Kalimantan. The event was also attended by nine university rectors, a representative of the Governor of East Kalimantan, the Head of the East Kalimantan Community and Village Empowerment Agency (DPMPD), supervising lecturers, and participating students.

In this program, ITK sent 14 students to take part in the Collaborative KKN. Of this number, 11 students attended as representatives, accompanied by 5 supervising lecturers. One of ITK’s student representatives in the send-off procession was Fredericha Mariasti Sattu, a student from the Environmental Engineering Study Program.

The East Kalimantan Collaborative KKN marks an important step in strengthening synergy between universities and the Provincial Government of East Kalimantan. This program is the first collaborative KKN involving 3,420 students from 9 universities. The initiative has been developed since 2025 as an effort to align university programs with regional development priorities.

In his report, the Head of the KKN committee stated that the program was built on the spirit of collaboration between campuses and the regional government. The Collaborative KKN is based on three main pillars: synergy for impactful campuses, improvement of village development indexes, and support for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In total, there are 28 programs to be implemented through this Collaborative KKN. Each student group will carry out three main programs tailored to the needs of the community and the potential of the target villages. Through these programs, students are expected not only to participate in an academic activity, but also to become part of real solutions for society.

The Governor of East Kalimantan was represented by Puguh Harjanto, S.STP., M.Si., Expert Staff for Division III of the East Kalimantan Provincial Government, who officially sent off the participating students. The ceremony marked the beginning of cross-campus student service in supporting village development and community empowerment in East Kalimantan.

ITK Rector Prof. Agus said that ITK’s involvement in the Collaborative KKN is in line with the spirit of an impactful campus, which emphasizes the real contribution of higher education institutions to society. He noted that students need to directly observe challenges in the field, work alongside communities, and develop ideas that are relevant to regional needs.

“ITK fully supports this Collaborative KKN because students do not only learn in classrooms, but also learn from the community. Through this program, students can strengthen their sense of social concern, collaboration skills, and real contribution to village and regional development,” said Prof. Agus.

ITK’s participation in the East Kalimantan Collaborative KKN is also part of its effort to strengthen university networks in supporting regional development. Through the involvement of students and supervising lecturers, ITK hopes this program will produce meaningful contributions for village communities while also enhancing students’ capacity as future leaders.

With the spirit of collaboration among universities, government, and communities, the East Kalimantan Collaborative KKN is expected to become a productive and sustainable community service platform that brings real benefits to villages across East Kalimantan.