KLUNGKUNG, Bali — In Klungkung, Bali, a discussion forum brought together representatives from academia, government, and small business communities in an open and collaborative atmosphere. Universitas Terbuka (UT) Denpasar took the lead in organizing a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and disseminating the results of its Community Service (Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat – PKM) Program . More than an academic reporting forum, the event served as a platform for listening directly to the needs of local communities. Through this initiative, UT Denpasar reaffirmed its role as an open university that bridges academic knowledge with social realities, delivering quality higher education that is accessible to anyone, anywhere.
The event, held in Kabupaten Klungkung, brought together a wide range of stakeholders. Government representatives included Ira Damayanti, S.H., M.H., Head of the Innovation Development and Intellectual Property Management Division; Kadek Wisnu Bayupati, S.T., M.Si., Head of the Intellectual Property Facilitation Team at the Regional Research and Innovation Agency (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Daerah – BRIDA) of Bali Province; and officials from BRIDA Kabupaten Klungkung, including I Ketut Budiartha, S.H., M.Si. and Pande Made Anggarnata. Representing UT Denpasar were Director Agus Tatang Sopandi, S.Sn., M.Pd., along with lecturers Putu Ayu Anggya Agustina, Ni Putu Meri Dewi Pendit, Made Agus Suryadarma Prihantana, and other university staff. Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners, students, and community representatives also participated actively, creating a dynamic and collaborative forum.
From the outset, UT Denpasar acted not only as the event organizer but also as the facilitator of discussions, ensuring that every recommendation could be translated into measurable action plans. Putu Ayu Anggya Agustina, Chair of the FGD Organizing Committee, emphasized that the event marked the first step in developing the UT Denpasar Community Service Roadmap 2026–2030.
“This will serve as the starting point for developing Universitas Terbuka’s community service roadmap in alignment with the needs of society,” she said.
Through this process, UT aims to ensure that its community service initiatives are not carried out in isolation but are genuinely responsive to the real needs of local communities.
UT Denpasar’s role was also evident in its ability to bring together stakeholders from multiple sectors into a single collaborative dialogue. As an institution specializing in open and distance learning, UT has a unique capacity to reach diverse communities, including SMEs and local organizations across different regions. Through the FGD, the university not only presented the outcomes of its previous community service activities but also gathered valuable perspectives that will shape future programs to be more relevant, adaptive, and impactful.
The program was supported by the LPDP through the Enhancing Quality Education for International University Impacts and Recognition (EQUITY) – World Class University (WCU) scheme. This initiative forms part of Universitas Terbuka’s broader effort to strengthen the quality of higher education, research, and community engagement. It also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), where collaboration serves as a key driver of sustainable development.
Agus Tatang Sopandi, Director of UT Denpasar, stressed that the outcomes of the FGD would provide an important foundation for determining the university’s future community service priorities. He explained that UT seeks to ensure every PKM initiative is supported by reliable data and addresses clearly identified community needs.
“The outcomes of this FGD will provide accurate information on what community service programs should be implemented and where they should be carried out by UT Denpasar. With a more focused approach, the impact of these activities will be more meaningful for both the community and the government, particularly in Bali,” he explained.
During the forum, UT Denpasar also facilitated presentations by various experts who discussed strategic issues, including intellectual property policies delivered by BRIDA Bali, product branding strategies presented by the Department of Industry and Trade, and the rapid digital transformation of Bali’s SME sector, which now involves hundreds of thousands of businesses. By integrating these discussions into a unified forum, UT reinforced its role as a bridge between academic knowledge and regional development needs.
The discussion also highlighted Klungkung’s local assets, including Gula Dawan and Kamasan paintings, demonstrating how cultural heritage can be developed into valuable creative economic resources. In this context, UT Denpasar served as a facilitator, encouraging local potential not only to be preserved but also to be strengthened through academic support, intellectual property protection, and the creation of greater economic value.
Ultimately, the event demonstrated that Universitas Terbuka is more than a higher education institution. It is a platform where academic knowledge, public needs, and government policies converge. From Klungkung, UT Denpasar once again reaffirmed its commitment as an open university that expands access to education without boundaries, strengthens cross-sector collaboration, and ensures that knowledge extends beyond academic settings to generate meaningful benefits for society, in line with the principles of inclusive and sustainable development.
