Kotabaru PSDKU Public Lecture: Superior Human Resources as the Driving Force of Kotabaru’s Future
Kotabaru – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) reaffirmed its commitment to developing superior human resources (HR) through a public lecture for students of the ULM Kotabaru Off-Campus Study Program (PSDKU), held in the Kotabaru Regent’s Office Hall on Thursday (February 26, 2026). This activity was attended by 50 PSDKU ULM Kotabaru students.
The public lecture, titled “Developing Superior Human Resources to Achieve a HEBAT (Harmonious, Energetic, United, Trustworthy, and Resilient) Kotabaru Regency,” was delivered by Rector Prof. Dr. H. Ahmad Alim Bachri, S.E., M.Si. In his presentation, the Rector emphasized that regional development must be based on strengthening the quality of human resources who are adaptive, have character, and are globally competitive.
The Rector stated that ULM’s international standing continues to show progress, with a QS Ranking of 1389 for Asia and 203 for Southeast Asia. He believes this achievement motivates him to continue providing quality education to the region, including through the Kotabaru PSDKU (City’s Student Learning Outreach Program).
He analyzed Kotabaru’s strategic potential, ranging from natural resources in the mining, agriculture, and fisheries sectors to its geographical location along regional trade routes, supported by infrastructure and investment plans. Furthermore, the potential for tourism and the creative industry also presents future opportunities for the region.
However, these opportunities are accompanied by challenges, such as a gap in skilled human resources oriented towards sustainable development, limited access to quality higher education, and the phenomenon of brain drain, or the migration of young talent to other regions.
To address these challenges, ULM presents PSDKU as a strategic solution. PSDKU not only expands access to higher education but also builds a learning system responsive to local needs through a relevant curriculum, community empowerment, and prevention of young talent migration.
The Rector also explained that student character development at PSDKU integrates HEBAT values, namely:
- Harmony, through collaborative learning and cross-cultural dialogue;
- Energy, through business incubation and entrepreneurial mentoring;
- Unity, through involvement in regional development projects;
- Trustworthiness, through ethics and good governance education;
- Resilience, through adaptation and leadership training in challenging situations.
Furthermore, PSDKU ULM also innovates in its learning methods, such as problem-based learning based on real-life cases of Kotabaru development, service learning with social impact, and blended learning that combines face-to-face and digital methods.
The Regional Secretary of Kotabaru, Eka Saprudin, A.P., M.A.P., representing the Regent of Kotabaru, expressed his appreciation to ULM for its consistent commitment to developing PSDKU. He emphasized that Kotabaru’s geographical conditions, consisting of mainland and islands, require special attention in terms of educational access.
According to him, the average length of schooling and expected length of schooling in Kotabaru are still relatively low, making the presence of PSDKU a long-term investment in developing superior and competitive human resources. The local government also hopes that the future development of PSDKU will reach mainland areas to accommodate broader potential.
Through this public lecture, Lambung Mangkurat University emphasized its role as a strategic partner for the local government in sustainable development. The presence of PSDKU Kotabaru is concrete evidence of the collaboration between universities and the government in creating the next generation of regional development ready to compete at the national and global levels.
