UMKT Lecturer Joins U.S. Embassy-Funded Network to Drive Social Initiatives in Kalimantan

umkt.ac.id, Samarinda – Universitas Muhammadiyah Kalimantan Timur (UMKT) has once again demonstrated its involvement on the international academic stage through the participation of Rahman Putra (an alumnus of the 2017 YSEALI Academic Fellowship Program). Mr. Putra, a UMKT lecturer, is involved in the prestigious Alumni U.S. Network (AAN) program, funded by the United States Embassy to Indonesia. This program convenes awardees of various U.S. government scholarship programs to build cross-regional collaboration and design social movement initiatives tailored to meet specific regional needs and challenges.

Participants began their program in early December, receiving training in fundamental skills such as social mapping, design thinking, and project planning, as essential tools for creating tangible action within their respective regions.

“Our agenda is designed to prepare Kalimantan’s youth to be ready to tackle modern challenges and capable of creating locally relevant initiatives,” said Irma Fitriani, the program facilitator for the Kalimantan region.

Rahman Putra plays a crucial role, representing East Kalimantan as part of Sakaraska—an abbreviation for Sampan Karsa Alumni AS–Kalimantan—the regional team. This team comprises alumni from some of the United States’ most prestigious scholarships, drawing members from various parts of the Kalimantan island:

• Theo Nugraha (OneBeat, 2022) – Project Leader
• Ario Maulana (YSEALI Academic Fellowship Program, 2025) – Project Secretary
• Chairunnisa (Fulbright Scholarship Program, Master’s Degree, 2023–2025) – Creative Team and Documentation
• Misbahul Aslam (English Access Microscholarship Program - ACCESS, 2025) – Human Resources and Communication
• Sukarti (International Visitor Leadership Program - IVLP, 2024) – Finance and Treasurer

With such a multidisciplinary and experienced team, Rahman’s extensive knowledge in public health significantly strengthens the program, which also addresses key health and environmental issues.

Irma further explained that the AAN program is specifically designed to connect, empower, and build cooperation, ultimately leading to projects that address concrete problems in their local regions.

In this context, the Sakaraska team focuses on key areas: youth movement, digital literacy, information security, and capacity building in entrepreneurship and financial literacy. The team is also preparing programs to disseminate scientific findings on diseases in layman’s terms, thereby making crucial health information accessible to the general public.

“The ultimate goal of this program is to secure funding for a regional project that will be executed by the alumni themselves,” Irma further explained in an interview.

This initiative directly aligns with the multilayered social, technological, and health challenges currently facing Kalimantan residents. Therefore, the involvement of higher education institutions is vital for the long-term sustainability of the AAN program.

“We hope to establish cooperation with universities, including UMKT, so that our program can achieve a more sustainable and impactful reach,” Irma added.

Irma emphasized that Sakaraska’s collaboration with various universities, including UMKT, is essential for expanding and sustaining the program’s outreach even after the Embassy funding concludes. This expectation creates an invaluable opportunity for UMKT to serve as a center for knowledge dissemination and as a platform for various program implementations, such training, workshops, and exhibitions of work created by Sakaraska members.

Rahman Putra’s participation — both as a UMKT representative and as Sakaraska’s Finance and Treasurer — is tangible evidence of how UMKT lecturers are actively engaged locally and internationally, generating regional societal impact. This involvement solidifies UMKT’s commitment to advancing the internationalization of the campus and upgrading the quality of Kalimantan’s youth through global collaboration. Through UMKT’s involvement in this United States alumni program, it is expected that students, lecturers, and the institution as a whole can expand their networking, research efforts, and tangible contributions to the East Kalimantan community.

Author: Raisha Azzahro

Translator: M. Rafly Raihandy