UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has reaffirmed its commitment to public service through the Airlangga Community Development Hub (ACDH). This year’s program targeted communities along the Indonesia–Singapore border. Now in its fourth year, the initiative focused on Belakang Padang District in Batam, one of Indonesia’s outermost islands bordering Singapore. The activities, held Wednesday–Thursday (Sept. 17–18, 2025), featured cross-faculty collaboration along with domestic and international university partners.

Reaching border communities

ACDH coordinator Dr. Irfan Wahyudi, SSos, MComms, said the program allows UNAIR to engage more directly with border residents. It provided opportunities to address pressing health issues such as stunting prevention, sanitation, and dental care, while also promoting herbal products and introducing Malay culture to students at SD 04 Belakang Padang.

“In addition, there were awareness sessions on human trafficking prevention, conducted by the faculties of Law, Social and Political Sciences, and Psychology. Other activities in Belakang Padang involved the faculties of Pharmacy, Public Health, Nursing, Dental Medicine, Humanities, and FIKKIA Banyuwangi,” Dr. Wahyudi said.

UNAIR partnered with the Indonesian Dental Association (PDGI) Batam and Universitas Riau Kepulauan (UNRIKA) for the initiative. “Prior to this, we signed cooperation agreements between UNAIR’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences and UNRIKA’s counterpart, as well as between the law faculties of both universities,” Dr. Wahyudi added.

Beyond UNRIKA, the program also worked with Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji and international institutions including Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Singapore Management University (SMU).

Sustainable impact

In its fourth year, ACDH has delivered practical benefits that go beyond education. This year, UNAIR’s Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM) donated solar panels for a charging station. “Last year, UNAIR built a monument in Busung Village and installed a jetty platform in Pemuda Pintan Village,” Dr. Wahyudi said.

The initiatives and equipment have been warmly welcomed by local communities, who hope the efforts will continue and expand. “These programs stimulate faculties to independently carry out community service projects and draw greater interest from foreign institutions to partner with UNAIR,” he concluded.

Author: Adinda Octavia Setiowati

Editor: Yulia Rohmawati