FPTI UPI Strengthens Cross-Faculty Collaboration in Indonesia’s Student Impact Program to Advance SDG-Linked Community Nutrition and Local Food Innovation

Subang, November 2025 — Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia’s (UPI) participation in the national Program Mahasiswa Berdampak (Student Impact Program; PM-BEM) demonstrates how cross-faculty collaboration can significantly contribute to community empowerment and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. Implemented in Tambakan Village, Jalancagak District, Subang Regency, the program unites students and lecturers from the Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Education (FPTI), the Faculty of Medicine (FK), the Faculty of Sports and Health Education (FPOK), and the Faculty of Social Science Education (FPIPS).

PM-BEM is a national initiative of Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology aimed at strengthening student engagement in community development, with a particular focus on health, education, and local economic resilience. In the 2025 cycle, the UPI team successfully secured funding and deployed an interdisciplinary group of students to address two priority issues linked to the SDGs: nutrition and stunting prevention (SDG 2 & SDG 3) and local economic empowerment through food innovation (SDG 8).

Image 1. The product

FPTI UPI students played a central role in the development of local food innovations designed to support both community nutrition and village-level economic opportunities. Students from Agroindustrial Technology Education, Culinary Education, and Chemical Engineering worked alongside peers from health and social science faculties to produce solutions that combine applied technology, nutrition science, and community education.

The program began with health education and growth monitoring for children aged 2–5, led by medical and health science students. This was followed by a series of technical workshops facilitated by FPTI students on producing purple sweet potato flour, rosella extract beverages, and shredded tilapia (abon ikan nila). These products are based on UPI’s research in local food technology and have obtained a simple patent under the guidance of Dr. Ai Mahmudatussa’adah, S.Pd., M.Si.

Chemical Engineering and Agroindustrial Technology students of FPTI focused on process engineering, material handling, and optimization of production tools, such as grinders, tunnel ovens, and slicers, to ensure product consistency and extended shelf life. Meanwhile, Culinary Education students of FPTI provided expertise in formulation, packaging, and micro-entrepreneurship training, helping community groups envision the products as potential village-based economic commodities. This collaboration across different technical and educational disciplines exemplifies SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, demonstrating how multi-sector academic teams can jointly address complex community needs.

Throughout the program, FPTI UPI students supported community cadres in hands-on production using simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly technologies. These food innovations offer dual benefits:

nutritious products that contribute to stunting prevention (SDG 2 & SDG 3) and new livelihood opportunities that promote local economic growth (SDG 8).

To ensure sustainability after the program, the PM-BEM UPI team handed over four units of food production equipment: a tunnel oven, slicer, grinder, and sifting machine to the Tambakan Village government. This equipment enables continued independent production by Posyandu cadres, women’s groups, and farmer communities.

Image 2. PM-BEM UPI community empowerment program in Tambakan Village.

Tambakan Village Head, Dadang Sukari, S.Ap., M.Si., expressed his appreciation:

“This program goes beyond theory and creates lasting impact. Our residents not only learned new skills but also received equipment that enables them to continue producing these innovative products independently. This support significantly contributes to our village’s welfare.”

The collaboration facilitated through the national Student Impact Program illustrates the strategic role of vocational education and applied sciences in advancing community well-being. FPTI UPI’s involvement highlights how technical and vocational education and Training (TVET) contributes to improving food security and nutrition (SDG 2), promoting community health (SDG 3), providing skills for decent work and economic productivity (SDG 8), and fostering multi-sectoral partnerships for sustainable development (SDG 17).

Through the integration of academic knowledge, applied technology, and community engagement, FPTI UPI students demonstrate that vocational education is not only about developing technical competencies, but also about generating impactful, sustainable solutions for society. (Editor: MNH, SN )