BANDUNG, Telkom University – The Directorate of Research and Community Service Telkom University has organized a webinar entitled “Strategi Pelaksanaan Kegiatan Abdimas dengan Kondisi WFH dan Peluang Kontribusi Kegiatan Abdimas Untuk Penanganan Covid-19”. The event was conducted online using the Zoom Meeting application and lives on YouTube Channel Telkom University, Thursday (5/14)
Presenting Robbi Prayudha, Head of the Community Empowerment Section of the Directorate of Research and Community Service as a speaker, and Early Salmiyah Fitrah Ali as moderator, this event was attended by Telkom University lecturers who conducting community service programs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
One of the information conveyed by Mr. Robbi is regulations related to the implementation of community service during this pandemic. He said that, according to the circular letter of the Minister of Finance No. SE 6 / MK.02 / 2020 which contained Refocusing Activities and Budget Reallocation of Ministries / Institutions in the program context of acceleration in handling Covid-19 community service activities and research that focused on handling Covid-19 running with an actual plan without budget cuts. The reason is that the program is considered beneficial for the wider community during this pandemic.
Funds for the implementation of community service activities will be disbursed on May 18, 2020, and the implementation of community service activities in the period of 2020 can still be carried out without delay. Organizing the abdimas activities can be adjusted to the situation and condition. For example, the implementation of activities can be done online using the appropriate applications. Implementers can also visit the community with pre-determined health protocols such as continuing to conduct physical distancing, using masks, and other health protocols. In this webinar, Mr. Robbi as the speaker also delivered information related to submission of community service proposals, strategies to carry out the abdimas program during a pandemic, the role of academics in carrying out the abdimas program and also what methods could be used to carry out the abdimas program in the current situation.
“These conditions allow the lecturer to conduct some activities such as planting hydroponic plants in the surrounding environment such as RT / RW, create an online waste bank by using an application, diverting the garment becomes a place to produce medical equipment such as masks or PPE clothes for donation,” he said.
The role of lecturers in the community service during a pandemic is to assist in the formation of RT / RW / Village / Kec / Ke / Pemda task forces, the formation of COVID posts in universities, KKN advisers, health volunteers, UKM coaches, legal counselors, provision of spiritual material, manager of social assistance and logistics distribution, and others.
Prof. Adiwijaya as the rector of Telkom University also attended the webinar. He said that during this pandemic, academics can still be productive and actively involved in carrying some beneficial programs for the community. He said that there would be opportunities arising from the crisis caused by the Covid-19 virus that struck the entire world.
“Surely there will be new opportunities that emerge during this pandemic despite problems on various sides. But it is hoped that all problems can be resolved well despite limitations in access. Hopefully, this webinar can be an inspiration for ladies and gentlemen of the lecturer to remain productive in carrying out community service programs. At present, the orientation is a new era of abdimas. Please discuss as well as possible, so that the national service to be implemented can lead to benefits for all parties. ” he explained.
The event was carried out smoothly and ended with a question and answer session about community service activities.