Graduate School of Gadjah Mada University in cooperation with the Ciputra Foundation conducts Entrepreneur Campus Program batch II which is held in 15 May – 30 August. The program is attended by 20 participants who had successfully passed from selection. The participants come from various academic backgrounds and from different universities in Java. In his welcoming speech, Prof. Irwan Abdullah, on behalf of Graduate School of UGM passes his regards to the participants who had been successfully passed from the selection process done by Graduate School. Moreover, he explains that Campus Entrepreneur Program is part of UGM commitments to spread entrepreneurship “virus” throughout the country. Accordingly, one of the reasons causes Indonesia in economic trouble is that Indonesia does not have enough entrepreneurs who are able to create job, rather than become employee. In addition, Prof. Irwan mentioned that UGM will conduct similar programs in Aceh and Sorong, Papua. The chosen area, according to him, is very strategic, not only because they have a lot of natural resources while in the same time people are poor, but also geographically speaking. After conducting the program in UGM, Middle Indonesia, the similar program will be conducted in Aceh represents West Indonesia, and Sorong represents East Indonesia.
The Campus Entrepreneur Program has officially opened by Vise Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Adyanto Daroko, M.Phil., Ph.D. According to him, Gadjah Mada will always support this program. Moreover, he said that besides developing science and technology, Gadjah Mada commits to develop entrepreneurship trough out the country. In addition, the entrepreneurship should, in the future, involve as part of academic curriculum learned by students at Gadjah Mada. In the future, Prof. Adyanto explained that Gadjah Mada will summon the alumni from this program to involve in the program of empowering society which has been done by UGM for couple of years.
In the opening remarks, Antonius Tanan, represents Ciputra Foundation described a brief introduction about the program. According to him, there are nine skills which the entrepreneur should have: Attitude: opportunity, innovator and risk; Skill: communication, creating network, and ability to sell; Knowledge: basic business, business plan and business implementation. Moreover, the class will consist of 70 percent field studies, and 30 percent class room activities. In addition, he said that during the program, all participants will learn about: learning entrepreneurship from direct experiences, study independently and reflective, leadership and study group, creativity stimulation, proactive and initiative, take risk and hard work but enjoy.