Universitas PGRI Madiun (UNIPMA) has once again achieved a significant milestone. This time, UNIPMA successfully secured funding from the Household-Scale and Medium Enterprises Partnership Program (IRT-UM) organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbud Ristek) in 2024, with Kedaireka as the funding provider.

This program is a recognition from Kemendikbud Ristek for UNIPMA’s achievements in meeting the eight key performance indicators of higher education institutions. These include providing off-campus learning experiences for students, engaging lecturers in off-campus activities, and producing impactful community-oriented projects.

Dr. Supri Wahyudi Utomo, M.Pd., Rector of UNIPMA, explained that two types of support were provided: a program for coaching and delivering technological tools for MSMEs and the provision of smart classrooms to support campus learning.

UNIPMA received a grant of IDR 478 million from Kedaireka, which was distributed to three MSMEs: Djamoe in Mojorejo Village, Aroda Sambel Pecel in Tawangrejo Village, and Keripik Cahaya in Geger District.
“This program is one way for us to connect the university with the community as a form of our service. We hope this assistance can benefit MSMEs, especially in Madiun,” stated Dr. Supri Wahyudi Utomo, M.Pd.

Through this initiative, UNIPMA reaffirms its commitment as a strategic partner in empowering MSMEs. In addition to driving local economic growth, UNIPMA aims to improve MSME quality, enabling them to compete nationally and internationally.

Besides providing tools, UNIPMA will continue supporting the beneficiary MSMEs through various activities, including socializing BPOM certification processes, outlining the procedures to obtain certification, improving product packaging designs, and developing marketing strategies. “We hope this program can be sustainable and positively impact MSMEs in Madiun and surrounding areas,” he added.

Oktavia Purnawati Wijayaningrum, owner of the Djamoe MSME, expressed her hope that with the new equipment, her production capacity for herbal drinks could increase fourfold.

Mufida, owner of Aroda Sambel Pecel, shared that the tools provided by UNIPMA have enhanced production efficiency, reduced costs, and eased labor efforts. “I am very grateful to the PIRT-UM UNIPMA team for their genuine care for MSMEs in Madiun,” she stated.

Muhammad Yusuf, Mojorejo Subdistrict Head, expressed his hope that the tools provided would be utilized optimally to improve product quality and standards. Similarly, Sumarno, Kartoharjo Subdistrict Head, appreciated this assistance and hoped the PIRT-UM UNIPMA team would continue mentoring and supporting MSMEs in the future.