DMKP Strengthens Contextual Learning Through Living Labs

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DMKP students presented innovative projects using the living labs approach to address public issues within the FISIPOL environment.

Yogyakarta, May 26, 2025 – Regular and international students from the Department of Management and Public Policy (DMKP), FISIPOL UGM—specifically from the Global Public Policy (GPP) and Kebijakan Publik Global (KPG or Global Public Policy in Indonesian) courses—presented the outcomes of their living labs projects. This event marked the conclusion of the even-semester courses and served as a platform for students to propose concrete and contextual policy ideas addressing public issues around them.

Mata kuliah Global Public Policy (GPP) dan Kebijakan Publik Global (KPG) dirancang untuk mendorong mahasiswa berpikir lintas batas negara, menggali kompleksitas persoalan publik global, dan meresponsnya dengan pendekatan lokal yang berkelanjutan. Melalui metode living labs, mahasiswa tidak hanya belajar teori di dalam kelas, tetapi juga meneliti, merancang, dan mengimplementasikan solusi nyata bersama komunitas, institusi, maupun lingkungan sekitarnya.

Living labs sendiri merupakan sebuah pendekatan inovasi yang berlangsung langsung di lingkungan nyata, di mana masyarakat atau pengguna akhir menjadi pusat dari proses perancangan solusi. Dalam pendekatan ini, berbagai pihak seperti pemerintah, akademisi, pelaku usaha, dan masyarakat sipil bekerja sama untuk mengembangkan, mencoba, dan mengevaluasi ide-ide baru secara kolaboratif. Tujuannya adalah menciptakan solusi yang benar-benar relevan dengan kebutuhan masyarakat dan mampu menjawab masalah sosial yang kompleks secara praktis dan berkelanjutan.

The Global Public Policy (GPP) and Kebijakan Publik Global (KPG) courses are designed to encourage students to think across borders, explore the complexity of global public issues, and respond with sustainable local approaches. Through the living labs method, students not only study theory in class but also conduct research, design, and implement real solutions in collaboration with communities, institutions, and their surrounding environments.

Living labs are an innovation approach that takes place directly within real-life environments, where the community or end users are placed at the center of the solution design process. This approach brings together various stakeholders—including government, academics, businesses, and civil society—to collaboratively develop, test, and evaluate new ideas. The goal is to create solutions that are genuinely relevant to community needs and capable of addressing complex social problems in a practical and sustainable way.

The student projects presented in both courses reflected a diversity of issues and the creativity of the proposed solutions. From the KPG course, several notable ideas included:

These projects demonstrate strong awareness of environmental, health, and community well-being on campus.

From the GPP course, standout projects included:

These projects not only prioritized innovation but also demonstrated sensitivity to social needs and student welfare.

Through this activity, students not only strengthened their academic and critical thinking skills but also learned how public policy can be built from direct interaction with their surroundings. The presentation of these living labs projects reflects DMKP UGM’s ongoing commitment to integrating theory and practice in public policy education.

Writer: Fahri
Photo: Fahri, Fauzi

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