UPNVJ Public Relations - Veteran National Development University Jakarta (UPNVJ) hosted a Public Consultation Activity for the Grand Design Study of Community Empowerment organized by the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency of the Republic of Indonesia or the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas. This activity took place on Tuesday–Wednesday, June 23–24, 2026, in the Nusantara 1 Meeting Room of UPNVJ, Pondok Labu, South Jakarta. The forum was held as part of the process of preparing a grand design study for community empowerment to gather aspirations, strengthen policy legitimacy, and formulate a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable direction for community empowerment.
The event featured UPNVJ Rector, Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, MA, Comm, as a keynote speaker who delivered opening remarks. UPNVJ's presence at the forum demonstrated the university's role as a strategic partner for the government in strengthening the academic, research, and public participation base in formulating national development policies.
In this activity, Bappenas emphasized that community empowerment is a crucial instrument for supporting inclusive, sustainable, and equitable development. This agenda is also closely linked to the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), particularly in improving human resource quality, accelerating poverty reduction, reducing inequality, and strengthening an inclusive, productive economy.
This public consultation is crucial because various community empowerment programs implemented by ministries, institutions, and civil society organizations still face a number of challenges. These include interventions that are not fully oriented towards long-term self-reliance, suboptimal mentoring, and the need to strengthen governance and funding for community empowerment.
Through this forum, Bappenas seeks to introduce a more comprehensive, holistic, and self-sufficient concept of community empowerment. Furthermore, this activity provides a platform to gather aspirations, input, and firsthand experiences from various stakeholders, while also gathering strategic recommendations to strengthen the design, implementation, control, and integration of empowerment programs.
The series of public consultations on June 23, 2026, focused on ministries and institutions. The agenda began with participant registration, opening remarks by the UPNVJ Rector, remarks by the Director of Social and Economic Independence from the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, a presentation on social empowerment studies, and a discussion with participants. The forum then continued with a discussion of four main pillars: capability enhancement, agency enhancement, economic independence, and community and regional empowerment.
On June 24, 2026, the activity continued, involving representatives from local governments, civil society organizations, and academics. This cross-sectoral engagement is a crucial part of policymaking based on meaningful participation, allowing the overall design of community empowerment to be more targeted and relevant to the needs of communities in various regions.
As a state university with a vision of national defense, UPNVJ views its community empowerment agenda as part of the university's academic and social contribution to national development. Through its involvement in this Bappenas forum, UPNVJ strengthens its role as a space for dialogue, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas between the government, academics, and other stakeholders.
UPNVJ Rector, Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, MA, Comm., assessed that this public consultation forum aligns with UPNVJ's commitment to providing a university that not only excels academically but also contributes directly to community empowerment. He stated that universities must be strategic partners with the government in generating ideas, recommendations, and good practices that impact the welfare, independence, and empowerment of the Indonesian people.