Representatives of the ITS Patriot Expedition Team are officially and symbolically sent off by ITS officials on a mission of more inclusive and sustainable village development in Indonesia’s transmigration areas

ITS Campus, ITS News — Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) officially sent off the 2025 Patriot Expedition Team at Plaza dr Angka ITS, on Friday (22/8). This send-off marks the first step of ITS’s contribution, together with the Ministry of Transmigration (Kementrans) of the Republic of Indonesia, in more inclusive and sustainable village development in transmigration areas.

The Chief Executive of the ITS Patriot Expedition, Prof Dr Ir Aulia Siti Aisjah MT, reported that ITS is one of 17 State Universities with Legal Entity Status (PTN-BH) entrusted to carry out this program. In this first year, ITS is dispatching a total of 228 students, divided into 57 expedition teams. “This team will be spread from Aceh to Papua as a real form of ITS’s contribution to nation-building,” she explained.

Chief Executive of the ITS Patriot Expedition, Prof Dr Ir Aulia Siti Aisjah MT, while giving a report before officially sending off the 2025 Patriot Expedition Team

The Patriot Expedition Program itself is a form of multidisciplinary community service that combines research, technology, and community empowerment. Later, the participants will focus on strengthening village capabilities, increasing community literacy, applying appropriate technology, as well as developing local potential. With this approach, it is hoped that the community can become more self-reliant while also increasing the community’s welfare.

The program, which involves ITS students, alumni, and lecturers participating in this service mission, will dispatch them to their respective designated areas, starting Saturday (23/8) morning. During the program, the student participants will also receive benefits in the form of a stipend, accommodation, three full meals a day, and a conversion equivalent to three to four academic courses. Thus, the students’ participation not only has an impact on the community but also provides added value to their academic journey.

ITS Vice Rector III Imam Baihaqi ST MSc PhD (right) after placing the 2025 Patriot Expedition Team’s symbolic necklace on an ITS lecturer representative as an official sign of departure

Officiating this send-off, ITS Vice Rector III for Human Resources, Organization, and Information Systems Technology, Imam Baihaqi ST MSc PhD, emphasized that ITS’s involvement in the Patriot Expedition Program is very much in line with the patriotic spirit of Sepuluh Nopember. According to him, the students’ involvement in this program is not just a social activity, but rather a direct implementation of the knowledge learned on campus.

Furthermore, Imam stated that the form of nationalism is not enough with just words, but must be manifested in real action in the form of innovation and solutions. The problems in Indonesia’s transmigration areas are a challenge that must be answered with real contributions. “Hopefully, the students will always be given health so they can develop resources and resolve development inequality in Indonesia’s regions,” said the lecturer from the ITS Department of Business Management.

A total of 228 ITS students, alumni, and lecturers who are part of the 2025 Patriot Expedition Team are ready to be dispatched to 33 transmigration areas in Indonesia.

This ITS Patriot Expedition Team will be deployed in 33 transmigration areas spread across 17 Indonesian Provinces with a mission to assist the community in the fields of technology, education, and local economic development. It is hoped that the combination of knowledge, innovation, and the spirit of service can become a real solution in the transmigration areas.

Through participation in this program, ITS strengthens its role in sustainable development in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically point 11 concerning Sustainable Cities and Communities and point 17 regarding Partnerships for the Goals. “The hope is that the contribution of ITS students, alumni, and lecturers in this Patriot Expedition can become an inspiration while also reinforcing ITS’s position as a campus that has an impact on the country,” Imam stated optimistically. (ITS PUBLIC RELATIONS)

Reporter: Lathifah Sahda