The World University Association of Community Development (WUACD) held the 2025 Project Coordinators Election on June 14, 2025, in the Sriwijaya Room, 5th Floor, ASEEC Tower, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya. The WUACD Project Coordinator has a vital role in leading collaborative initiatives across member universities. As a part of the association, project coordinators are central figures in planning, implementing, and monitoring community development programs within the four main focuses including Innovative Education & Long-life Learning, Health and Environment, Social Development & Multiculture, and Sustainable Economy. The project coordinators are elected every two years to ensure fresh perspectives and sustained leadership within the network. This rotation also allows partner universities to share responsibilities and strengthens cross-institutional collaboration. This election was part of the WUACD Summit 2025, a forum that brings together WUACD partner universities from around the world to strengthen collaboration and share strategies in advancing sustainable community development. The election session was officially opened by Mega Moeharyono Puteri, drg., Ph.D., Sp.KGA(K), who serves as the WUACD Mobility Organizing Coordinator. Fourteen representatives from WUACD member universities attended the forum as eligible voters.

The elections covered four categories representing WUACD’s main areas of work: (1) Innovative Education & Lifelong Learning, (2) Health and Environment, (3) Sustainable Economy, and (4) Social Development & Multiculture. Each candidate was given the opportunity to present their expertise, proposed initiatives, and strategies to facilitate collaboration within their category. The forum encouraged open discussion and transparent voting to elect new coordinators who will guide activities and collaboration within each category.

In the Innovative Education & Lifelong Learning category, two candidates were nominated: Dr. Maheen Mumtaz from the National University of Sciences & Technology and Prof. Ira Nurmala, SKM, MPH, Ph.D., from the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga. Prof. Ira received 56% of the votes and was elected as project coordinator for this category. Prof. Ira conveyed a vision of empowering individuals of all ages in the community to adapt, innovate, and thrive in a rapidly changing global society. Her mission includes building partnerships for lifelong learning among WUACD members to promote inclusive education for vulnerable groups and leverage technology to support personal and societal development.

There were six nominees in the Health and Environment category, including Prof. Chinnappan Ambrose Kalpana (Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women India), Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aziz Rahman (Federation University Australia), Ir. Asif Ali Zamzami, S.ST., M.Sc., Ph.D., IPM., Dr. apt. Iif Hanifa Nurrosyidah, S.Farm., M.Farm., and Ni Nyoman Purwani, S.Si., M.Si. (all from Universitas Airlangga). Following the voting session, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aziz Rahman was elected as coordinator with 88% of the votes. His vision emphasized inter-university collaboration, evidence-based community empowerment, and translating research into practice. He proposed a global research project involving all WUACD partners to address shared health and environmental priorities, followed by educational campaigns and outreach programs based on the findings.

For the Sustainable Economy category, three candidates competed: Dr. Amaliyah, Novyandri Taufik Bahtera, S.E., M.Sc., and Dr. Anak Agung Gde Satia Utama, SE., M.Ak., Ak., CA., CIQaR., Cert.DA. Dr. Anak Agung Gde Satia Utama received 9 votes and was elected as coordinator for this category. His presentation focused on empowering Siwalan farmers through the development aimed at strengthening their financial and managerial capacity. He emphasized the University-Community-Industry collaboration model, where training and mentoring are customized to local needs and involve young people to create long-term sustainability. His proposal is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal of No Poverty, which aims for measurable rural transformation.

In the last category, the Social Development & Multiculturalism, the candidates were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Rosnon from Universiti Putra Malaysia and Edi Dwi Riyanto, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D. from Universitas Airlangga. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Rosnon was elected as the Project Coordinator with 14 votes. He presented a vision that emphasizes fostering intergenerational solidarity and multicultural collaboration, supported by four key missions: facilitating cross-border knowledge exchange and community projects; promoting the rights, cultural heritage, and economic empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized groups, such as persons with disabilities, the elderly, and indigenous peoples; building strategic partnerships rooted in multicultural values; and empowering universities as drivers of equitable impact.

The 2025 WUACD Project Coordinator Election marks a renewed momentum for collaborative action across four core areas: education, health, economy, and multiculturalism. Each elected coordinator brings a distinct vision rooted in community empowerment. Prof. Ira Nurmala will lead inclusive, lifelong learning, while Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aziz Rahman will drive inter-university health and environmental activities founded on global data and local participation. Economically, Dr. Anak Agung Gde Satia Utama is concerned with cooperative-based rural development. In another area, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Rosnon will lead multicultural solidarity and rights-based development. United by shared values and supported by the WUACD members, these coordinators will lead the international collaborations and community-based initiatives until 2027.