The Birthday of Pancasila which is commemorated every June 1 reminds the Universitas Indonesia (UI) of its role as an educational institution to continue to contribute to the country. As a campus that carries the name of the nation, UI upholds the values of Pancasila by practicing the five precepts in it. UI is committed to maintaining relations with the community through useful programs. UI Cares is a form of UI community service, in actions and social assistance, which are distributed to various parts of the country. The running of this program is a form of UI’s success in practicing the values of Pancasila, especially the fifth precept.
Through the Directorate of Community Service and Empowerment, UI presents programs that are integrated with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) determined by the United Nations as a development agenda. Of the 17 points set, UI focuses on several goals, such as no poverty; healthy and prosperous life; quality education; gender equality; clean and affordable energy; decent work and economic growth; sustainable cities and settlements; climate change management; and partnerships to achieve goals.
Throughout 2021, UI run two disaster care programs, namely UI Cares for Covid-19 and UI Cares for Semeru. In the UI Cares Covid-19 program, UI distributes logistics for Covid-19 patients who are undergoing isolation at the UI Student Dormitory. Meanwhile, the UI Cares Semeru program is realized through assistance to the needs of the affected communities, especially in three villages, namely Desa Supitutang, Desa Sumbarasih, and Desa Dusun Umbulan.
The UI Cares program in 2015 was implemented to help victims of the Riau Haze and in 2016 it was implemented to help earthquake victims in Keude Paru Village, Pidie Jaya Regency, Aceh Province. In 2017, UI Cares was realized in strategic actions and studies in the form of programs to support UI Go Green, Depok City Child Friendly, and Disaster Resilient. During the 2015–2019 range, UI Cares had run more than 30 programs.
The assistance provided by UI Cares is not only in the form of logistics, health services, and psychosocial approaches, but also various innovations. To help the refugees in the Lombok and Ambon earthquake disasters, the Earthquake Alert System (EWAS) application was installed in the surrounding area. UI Cares synergizes with the National Disaster Management Agency, the Indonesian National Army, the National Police, stakeholders, and the surrounding community in helping victims of natural disasters.
“Thank you for the support and trust of partners and the local community in UI. Hopefully UI Cares community service activities can be useful for the community, and every year UI can contribute through community service programs. On this Pancasila Birthday, UI should be committed to providing the best for the nation through community service programs, such as UI Cares,” said Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D as the Rector of UI.
UI Cares’ involvement also has an effect on increasing mass publications, books with ISBNs, Intellectual Property Rights (Copyrights), journal publications, and speakers in scientific forums. UI Cares’ activities on strategic studies on national issues have resulted in 29 studies in the form of books. Several study results have provided recommendations to relevant stakeholders such as ministries, provincial governments, provincial Regional People’s Representative Councils, Regional Representatives Councils, and many others. One of the activities to disseminate the results of the community service program that has been running is the Community Service Festival.
This Community Service Festival was first held by DRPM UI in 2017. This activity in the form of a national seminar and dissemination of community service activities aims to increase cooperation in community service programs with the industry, government, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). In the future, community service activities are expected to be able to improve the welfare of the community as a form of UI’s concern for the Indonesian nation.
