Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) officially sent off students participating in the Humanitarian Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata Kemanusiaan) for the Even Semester of Academic Year 2025/2026, ahead of their deployment to Aceh Province. The send-off and briefing ceremony was held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, in the Main Meeting Room of the UNY Rectorate, as final preparation before the students began service on January 8, 2026.

In his speech, UNY Rector Prof. Sumaryanto affirmed that the Humanitarian KKN is a real expression of UNY’s commitment to implementing the university’s tri-dharmic mission, especially in community service grounded in humanitarian values. He stressed that the presence of students in post-disaster areas should not only bring programs, but also hope and empathy for affected communities. “This Humanitarian KKN is not just an academic activity, but a moral calling. UNY students are expected to be agents of social recovery, build community optimism, and demonstrate social leadership based on empathy and mutual cooperation,” he said.

The send-off ceremony included the symbolic placement of KKN badges on two student representatives — Kizha Diny Atikah (Nonformal Education) and Alvin Anggayana (Fine Arts Education) — by the Rector himself.

This year, 100 students from various faculties and 10 student organization representatives are participating in the Humanitarian KKN. They will carry out their service over **30 days, from January 8 to February 6, 2026, focusing on post-disaster rehabilitation and strengthening the social and psychological resilience of affected residents in Aceh.

As part of their preparation, UNY invited experts in disaster management and psychology to brief the students. This included a session on readiness and community rehabilitation roles by an official from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD DIY), and a session on psychological resilience and psychosocial support for disaster-affected individuals by a UNY Psychology faculty member.

Technical briefings were also delivered covering the KKN implementation process, program planning and reporting, student ethics, and administrative responsibilities, ensuring students are ready to serve responsibly as representatives of UNY.

For their field placement, the students will be based at Universitas Samudera (UNSAM) Aceh and deployed to several sub-districts in Aceh Tamiang Regency, including Manyak Payed, Bendahara, and Karang Baru. They will be accompanied by program supervisors to support their activities on the ground.

To support the students, UNY provided return travel tickets and a daily living allowance of IDR 100,000 per student. The program also counts academically toward each student’s study requirements, such as KKN credits, internships, or other recognized academic activities.

One of the KKN participants said the team plans to organize trauma-healing sessions, educational support, and environmental rehabilitation programs tailored to the needs of the communities they will serve.

Through this Humanitarian KKN initiative, UNY aims for students to make a meaningful contribution to the people of Aceh while internalizing values of care, solidarity, and social responsibility — important qualities for future leaders.