UPNVJ Public Relations – Veteran National Development University Jakarta (UPNVJ) strengthened the character and social resilience of students through a National Defense Seminar at the Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Auditorium, UPNVJ Pondok Labu Campus, Jakarta, Thursday (11/6/2026). The seminar, titled "Strengthening Student Character and Social Resilience through Actualizing National Defense Values," was attended by hundreds of students, with the Deputy Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions, Ahmad Riza Patria, as the keynote speaker. Through this activity, students were encouraged to apply national defense values to face challenges in the digital space, social life, and community development.
Opening the event, UPNVJ Rector, Prof. Anter Venus, emphasized that national defense is the primary identity inherent in the journey and implementation of education at UPNVJ. This identity is not enough to stop as a slogan or institutional concept, but must be present in the mindset, attitudes, and actions of the entire academic community. "The national defense identity contained in the statutes is not enough to be understood only as a concept. We strive to make it a habitus, becoming part of the way of thinking, behaving, and acting of all campus residents," said Prof. Venus.
Prof. Venus considers the historical background of UPNVJ's founding to be the foundation for UPNVJ to continue developing the concept of national defense from a non-military perspective. National defense is not solely related to physical defense, but also encompasses the value system, beliefs, character, competence, and responsibilities of citizens in social, national, and state life.
UPNVJ, he continued, strives to play a role as a think tank in developing national defense studies in Indonesia. This effort is carried out through research, publication of literature, holding academic forums, and developing instruments that can more systematically measure the application of national defense values.
"To date, we have published 18 books on national defense and will soon publish another book as part of our efforts to disseminate the idea of non-military national defense," he explained.
In addition to strengthening the literature, UPNVJ has developed the National Defense Implementation Index (IIBN) as an instrument to assess the application of national defense values within higher education institutions. Launched in December 2025, the index was designed with the involvement of experts from various fields and includes several assessment dimensions, including ideological resilience and social cohesion.
Through this seminar, UPNVJ affirmed its commitment to making national defense a living character trait in education, research, and community service activities. For Prof. Venus, the success of national defense education is measured not only by students' understanding of the concept of nationality, but also by their ability to translate these values into responsible actions that benefit Indonesia.
As a National Defense Campus, UPNVJ targets the birth of graduates who are not only academically and professionally superior, but also possess integrity, social awareness, resilience, and a sincere love for the nation and state.