Public Relations UPNVJ - Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the theme Strengthening the State Defense Campus of the National Development University "Veteran" was held at the Novotel Hotel Surabaya, East Java on Thursday, July 4 2024.

This event was attended by academics from UPN "Veteran" East Java, UPN "Veteran" Jakarta (UPNVJ) and UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta along with their previous leaders. Representatives from the Ministry of Defense were also present at this meeting.

According to the theme, the aim of this FGD is to strengthen everything regarding the concept and implementation of National Defense in university life, society and the state.

"It is hoped that there will be input from seniors regarding strengthening National Defense," said the Chancellor of UPN East Java, Akhmad Fauzi, who always leads the FGD in his opening remarks.

One of UPN East Java's concrete steps in strengthening National Defense is to present an application called the National Defense Operational System or SIOBEL. This application 'takes photos' of National Defense behavior around you.

Through SIOBEL, said Akhmad, it is hoped that everyone can implement National Defense voluntarily.

Three UPN "Veteran" Campuses

Prof. Dr. Ir. Teguh Soedarto, MP, former chancellor of UPN East Java for the 2008-2018 period, appreciated the steps taken by UPN East Java and UPNVJ to strengthen National Defense. He said that UPN was highly committed to continuing to strengthen National Defense.

Since it was first established as a National Defense Campus, UPN has provided basic National Defense training, even for its lecturers.

"These are the efforts being made to maintain the mandate of the Ministry of Defense so that these three UPNs are successful as National Defense Campuses," said Teguh.

"We are building togetherness in implementing National Defense in order to produce students who will defend the country, so that they become agents of change which have previously been pioneered by veterans," he continued.

"We always coordinate between the three UPNs, and determine National Defense standards and what must be measured. We also need to increase awareness in following up on national problems," said Teguh.

Former UPNVJ chancellor for the 2018-2022 period, Prof. Dr. Erna Hernawati., Ak., CPMA., CA, tried to link National Defense with the Main Performance Index (IKU). According to him, IKU has become a challenge that many universities, including UPN, must anticipate.

Don't let, continued Erna, a chancellor focus too much on achieving IKU so that his energy runs out to consistently implement the values of defending the country.

"We, especially these 3 UPNs, have to look more closely at what model of National Defense is suitable for generation Z students whose demands are different from those in the past. So there must be a re-examination of the methods and substance of National Defense," said Prof Erna.

Prof. Sari Bahagiarti KMSc, former chancellor of UPN Yogyakarta for the 2014-2018 period, proposed a kind of scheme to exchange ideas regarding the implementation of National Defense in each UPN. That way, if there is an implementation model that is considered good in one UPN, then it can be tried to be imitated or adopted in other UPNs.

"For example, SIOBEL, that is very good. We can imitate it if it is permitted," said Prof Sari.

State Defense Formulation

Director General of Forces, Ministry of Defense, Rear Admiral TNI Dr. Bambang Irwanto, MTr(han), CHRMP appreciates what the three UPNs have done in implementing National Defense. He said that even though it has become a PTN, UPN still has to maintain the Bela Negara branding in its education pattern.

This is because the name Veteran from the three UPNs is related to warriors in society.

"It is hoped that UPN will become an Agent of Change and influence the surrounding environment to have an impact. Apart from that, in the context of protecting the life of the nation, universities will be the number one actor," said Bambang.

Regarding the formulation of National Defense, Bambang admitted that there was no standard model to be applied in the education sector because it was still a reflection of military basics.

"There needs to be research into what the current National Defense standards are, because so far they only refer to the 2019 regulations," he said.