Rector Emphasizes the Importance of Youth’s Role in Leadership and Village Development
The Rector of Universitas Brawijaya, Prof. Widodo, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D.Med.Sc., emphasized the importance of the role of youth in leadership and village development in a Workshop themed “Village Development Cadres Based on Empowerment and Mutual Cooperation” held at Pendopo Panjalu Jayati, Kediri.
Prof. Widodo criticized the phenomenon of “strawberry generation”, where youth focus more on digital convenience than real contributions. He emphasized that village development cadres must become leaders who are able to organize human resources.
“What will happen if we only focus on the digital world without paying attention to the surrounding environment? Village development cadres must become true leaders, namely those who are able to organize human resources and solve problems around them,” he said.
Prof. Widodo also highlighted the importance of understanding global trends and sustainable governance in developing villages. He gave an example of how Indonesian agricultural products, such as coffee and palm oil, still have difficulty penetrating the international market since they have not met green production standards (sustainable).
“If we want to build a competitive village, we must implement environmentally friendly governance. Green technology and green systems must be part of every agricultural and plantation industry,” he explained.
In addition to leadership, the Rector of UB also discussed two main aspects which must be concerned by today’s youth, namely education and employment. He said that although industry in Indonesia should be growing, deindustrialization is actually occurring which makes jobs increasingly difficult.
“Survey from the Faculty of Economics shows that East Java is one of the largest contributors to state revenue. However, many industries have closed, making it more difficult to find work,” he said.
As a solution, he emphasized that education should not only focus on academics, but must also build leadership competencies (soft skills) so that graduates are ready to face industry challenges and are able to create new jobs.
On that occasion, Prof. Widodo also invited workshop participants to understand global changes, especially in the fields of green technology and geopolitics. He highlighted the trend of electric cars that rely on nickel, where exploitation of this resource has the potential to damage the environment.
“In the future, we must think about green energy such as solar cells, hydroethanol, and hydrogen. Management of green technology-based industries will be the key to the sustainable development,” he explained.
In addition, he also emphasized the importance of support from the community and the state in creating a strong economic system.
“Universitas Brawijaya is ready to host this similar workshop. Campus is a place for the young generation to grow, and we are greatly assisted by extra-campus organizations in building student leadership,” said Prof. Widodo.
At the end of the session, the rector invited participants who wanted to continue their studies to consider Universitas Brawijaya as an option.
“UB is a place for future investment. If great cadres join, then our alumni will also be increasingly qualified,” he concluded.
The Rector of UB attended the workshop held by the DPD GMNI East Java.
“I congratulate you on the holding of this event. Hopefully it will become a blessing and provide benefits for the nation and state,” he concluded. (*/UB PR/ Trans. Iir).
