KOTABARU – Universitas Terbuka (UT) Banjarmasin continues to expand its educational reach to remote areas of South Kalimantan. This commitment was marked by the inauguration of the UT Service Center (SALUT) Bamega in Kotabaru on Friday, May 23, located at Jalan Raya Berangas, RT 07, Batuah Village, Pulau Laut Sigam District. 

The inauguration was attended by the Director of UT Banjarmasin, Ir. H. M. Priono, M.Si, CPR., CCM., accompanied by the Head of SALUT Kotabaru, Nelly Pusparini SPd., and included partners and invited guests. 

“The opening of this Service Center is a form of UT’s commitment to being closer to the community. Now, residents of Kotabaru don’t have to travel far to Banjarmasin to get information or enroll at UT,” explained Priono. 

The Head of SALUT Kotabaru, Nelly Puspa Riny, affirmed that the presence of this service makes it easier for the community to pursue higher education, whether for Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degrees. 

As a state university with legal entity status and A accreditation, UT operates a distance learning system that is flexible, affordable, requires no entrance exams, and can be accessed by anyone, anytime, and anywhere. With the opening of SALUT Bamega in Kotabaru, UT once again reaffirms its commitment as a state university that promotes open access to higher education for all communities, wherever they are, including at the sub-district level, without having to leave their domicile. 

The establishment of SALUT is a tangible manifestation of UT’s characteristics as a flexible, inclusive, and technology-based campus—reaching even remote areas, without limits of space and time. This is a strategic step for UT in supporting the realization of quality education for all, as mandated by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.