South Sumatera, Indonesia, 7-8 July 2026. Universitas Sriwijaya (UNSRI) continues to strengthen its international engagement in enhancing student competencies and empowering local communities through the implementation of the EQUITY International Community Development Program in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The two-day program was held from 7–8 July 2026, featuring academic capacity-building activities for university students and lecturers as well as community empowerment initiatives for young people in South Sumatra.

The first day of the program, held on 7 July 2026, focused on strengthening participants' understanding of Sustainable Operations and Quality Management. The program targeted undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as academic staff from the Department of Management, Faculty of Economics, Universitas Sriwijaya. The session featured Prof. Ahmad bin Jusoh, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), as the keynote speaker and was attended by the leadership and academic community of the Department of Management.

During his presentation, Prof. Jusoh discussed the fundamental concepts of Operations Management, its strategic importance in modern organizations, and its role in promoting sustainability through the Triple Bottom Line framework—Profit, People, and Planet. The session generated lively discussions between students, lecturers, and the guest speaker, providing valuable insights into contemporary operations management practices. The program also contributed to strengthening the Department of Management's curriculum by reinforcing sustainability-oriented perspectives and ensuring that academic programs remain adaptive and responsive to emerging global challenges.

On 8 July 2026, the program continued at Pondok Tahfidz Syafian Hafiyya in Ogan Ilir Regency under the theme "Enhancing Studentpreneurship Capacity among Young Generation in Ogan Ilir Regency, South Sumatera." The event was attended by the Chairman of the Syafian Hafiyya Islamic Foundation, Ery Erman, S.K.M., M.A., and Prof. Ahmad bin Jusoh, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The initiative aimed to strengthen the entrepreneurial capacity of young people by fostering creativity, innovation, and competitiveness to prepare them for future economic challenges.

Dr. Muhammad Ichsan Hadjri, Head of the EQUITY Community Development Program Team at Universitas Sriwijaya, emphasized that entrepreneurial values should be nurtured from an early age to prepare young people for the increasingly dynamic economic landscape. According to Dr. Ichsan, the program is expected to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among students, empowering them to identify business opportunities, develop innovative solutions, and establish ventures that create meaningful value for society.

"We hope this program will inspire students to develop an entrepreneurial spirit and recognize business opportunities from an early age. Our aspiration is for future generations not only to become job seekers but also job creators who generate employment opportunities, contribute to local economic development, and create lasting benefits for society," said Dr. Muhammad Ichsan Hadjri.

Dr. Ichsan further explained that entrepreneurship education today extends far beyond teaching business skills. It focuses on developing innovative thinking, problem-solving abilities, opportunity recognition, and value creation that delivers positive social and economic impact.

During the program, participants received an interactive lecture from Prof. Ahmad bin Jusoh, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. In his presentation, Prof. Jusoh introduced the concept of Studentpreneurship—students who integrate knowledge, creativity, innovation, and technology to identify real-world problems and transform them into economically viable solutions that also generate social impact.

Prof. Jusoh explained that successful studentpreneurs do not begin by asking, "What product should I sell?" Instead, they start with a more fundamental question: "What problem can I solve?" Through the Studentpreneur Formula, participants were introduced to the essential stages of entrepreneurial development, including identifying problems, understanding customer needs, designing innovative solutions, developing sustainable business models, creating value, generating social impact, and ultimately achieving profit as the outcome of successfully solving meaningful problems.

To further inspire participants, Prof. Jusoh shared the entrepreneurial journeys of several successful founders, including Achmad Zaky (Founder of Bukalapak), Vivy Yusof (Founder of FashionValet), and Arif Tukiman (Co-founder and CEO of RunCloud). Their experiences demonstrated that sustainable business success begins with understanding societal needs, embracing innovation, and building ventures that create significant value for the wider community.

The program featured interactive presentations, discussions, and question-and-answer sessions, all of which received enthusiastic participation from the students. Participants were encouraged to think creatively, embrace challenges, and foster a culture of innovation as essential preparation for both future careers and entrepreneurial ventures.

More than a one-time training event, the EQUITY Program has been designed as a sustainable community empowerment initiative. Universitas Sriwijaya and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia will continue the program through various follow-up activities, including hybrid mentoring sessions, knowledge-sharing programs with UTM students, and other collaborative initiatives. This long-term approach is expected to establish a sustainable entrepreneurial learning ecosystem that generates tangible benefits for youth development in Ogan Ilir Regency.

The implementation of the EQUITY International Community Development Program also reflects Universitas Sriwijaya’s strong commitment to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program contributes to SDG 1 (No Poverty) by enhancing community capacity to create economic opportunities and generate employment; SDG 4 (Quality Education) by promoting high-quality, innovative, and future-oriented entrepreneurship education; and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by strengthening international collaboration between Universitas Sriwijaya and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in delivering sustainable community engagement initiatives.

Through the EQUITY Program, Universitas Sriwijaya not only advances its internationalization agenda but also reaffirms its commitment to nurturing innovative, independent, and adaptable young leaders who are capable of becoming job creators, contributing to community welfare, regional development, and Indonesia's sustainable economic growth.