One of the obligations of the tri dharma of higher education institutions is community service (PkM). In practice, universities can choose the type and level of PkM according to the needs and situations faced by the community or partners. Along with the organization of the OU5 Meeting, where Universitas Terbuka (UT) served as the host, an International PkM activity was also carried out in collaboration between UT and Open University Malaysia (OUM), Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), and Hanoi Open University (HOU).

This initiative marks the second time that an International PkM has been held by members of the OU5 forum, following a similar event organized by UT at HOU at the end of 2023. On April 26, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Yogyakarta, this activity was conducted again with a different atmosphere and was attended by all members of the OU5 forum. Participants included UT Rector – Prof. Ojat Darojat, M.Bus., Ph.D., OUM President – Prof. Dr. Ahmad Izanee Awang, Acting President of STOU – Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, HOU Chairwoman of the Board of the Legend – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Mai Huong, UPOU Vice Rector – Dr. Jean A. Saludadez, UT Vice Rector IV – Rahmat Budiman, M.Hum., Ph.D., and UT Yogyakarta Director – Dr. Agus Santoso.

Additionally, the event was attended by the OU5 coordinators: Fauzy Rahman Kosasih S.S., M.Pd. (UT), Dr. Thirumeni Subramaniam (OUM), Ms. Rattip Phukkeson (STOU), Dr. Le Thi Minh Thao (HOU), and Ms. Margaret Suarez (UPOU). Researchers from the five participating universities also took part in the event.

This International PkM showcased cultural elements, arts, and traditional foods from Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The event also aimed to preserve and promote the cultures of each country. Through these cultural performances, 24 UT Yogyakarta students had the opportunity to actively participate and learn directly about the various cultures and arts presented by delegates from the four different countries. An interesting observation from each delegation’s performance was the discovery of cultural overlaps in arts and traditional foods, albeit with different names and packaging based on local wisdom.

The successful implementation of the International PkM, coinciding with the closing of the OU5 Meeting in Yogyakarta, demonstrated UT’s ongoing efforts to foster cross-cultural and artistic understanding among ASEAN countries. This aligns with the goal of providing quality education as per Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4.