After an excellent collaboration last year, this year Go East Java has come for the second time, bringing Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, especially Kolej Tuanku Canselor and Universitas Airlangga together to develop the local community. The program aims to actively enhance students involvement in implementing SDG values amongst society, furthermore to address social, economic, environmental, and cultural challenges through collective action and long-term solutions.

Held in Maleo Hall of Medang Building Universitas Airlangga, the ceremony was legitimized by an opening speech from Prof. Dr. Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih as Chairperson of WUACD followed by Prof. Ir. Dr. Sharul Kamal bin Abdul Rahim, Head of Kolej Tuanku Canselor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. A great hope and excitement was delivered to signify a continuous collaboration of Indonesia and Malaysia in cultural, education, and environmental sectors. Bucket hats and identification lanyards were also given as a token of appreciation for the participants, as well as a symbol to start Go East Java 2.0 activities.

Afterwards, a presentation from the Student Executive Board of Universitas Airlangga was led by one of its representatives, to introduce the local community destination, which is Licin Village of Banyuwangi, East Java. Alongside the students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, student representatives of BEM Universitas Airlangga will join the community development activities under the program called Go East Java 2.0. Their program will consist of socialisation and interactive engagement with local economic development.

All of the participants were excited to know the local heritage and create an unforgettable experience in Banyuwangi. In an interview with Syahriza as one of the students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, he expressed his curiosity about Kampung Banjar and expressed a wishful expectation for the programs.

“I hope that with this program of Go East Java 2.0, we could help to boost the local business and tourism to grow and expand”.

Isya and Rani from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia also mentioned that she found similarities between the villages in Banyuwangi and in Malaysia, and it excites her to help and serve community villages. She hoped that Go East Java 2.0 could provide skills training for students, and increase cross-cultural networkings.

“We are very excited to know what we will do in two weeks. Besides exploring tourism, we really hope that we can help each other. Improving the business in kampung while developing our soft skill, and of course meningkatkan silahturahmi!”.

In an interview, Prof. Ir. Dr. Sharul Kamal bin Abdul Rahim also expressed his gratitude for the given opportunity from Universitas Airlangga to continue a great relationship.

“We hope for great collaborations with Unair, we also hope that this program will continue for years to come. The committee and I hope that by following this program, we can produce an engineering students who cares for community, environment, and society in the future”.

There are precisely 50 students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia that entered Go East Java 2.0, which was an acceleration from the previous year. As the head of Kolej Tuanku Canselor, the Kolej which the students of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia come from, he hoped that these programs would help to produce engineering graduates of UTM with a strong dedication and innovation for environmental responsibility.