The OKKABUN 2026 program combines hands-on exposure to plantation, forestry and horticultural commodities with modern technology and eight institutional values to prepare students for the industry.
PALMOILMAGAZINE, YOGYAKARTA — Institut Pertanian Stiper (INSTIPER) Yogyakarta is strengthening its focus on developing human resources for Indonesia’s agriculture, plantation and forestry industries through its 2026 OKKABUN (Orientasi Kenal Kampus dan Kebun) program.
The orientation program for the 2026/2027 academic year brought together 825 new students from 28 provinces across Indonesia. Held at the INSTIPER campus and the university’s SEAT facility in Ungaran, Central Java, the program carries the theme “Getting to Know the Campus and the Plantation.”
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Rather than serving solely as a conventional student orientation, OKKABUN is designed as an early bridge between academic learning and the realities of the plantation and forestry industries.
Students are introduced directly to plantation and forestry commodities, horticulture, field management practices and modern technologies before beginning more extensive classroom-based studies.
Adi Ruswanto, chairman of the OKKABUN organizing committee and INSTIPER vice rector for student affairs, said the program uses an experiential learning approach to help students connect practical experience with academic concepts.
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“Through experiential learning at SEAT Ungaran, students from 28 provinces can directly study various plantation, forestry and horticultural commodities before learning the theories in the classroom,” Adi said in a statement received by PalmOilMagazine on Thursday (Sept. 10).
He said direct exposure to field conditions would help students better understand the subjects they will encounter throughout their studies.
Building Eight INSTIPER Values
OKKABUN 2026 also serves as an initial platform for instilling INSTIPER’s eight institutional values: Integrity, Nationality, Scientific, Trust, Influence, Professional, Excellence and Respect.
The character-building program is conducted through three stages: pre-OKKABUN, the main OKKABUN program and post-OKKABUN activities. The approach is intended to establish positive habits that students can carry through their university years and into their professional careers.
The program is built around four core pillars: physical strength, mental resilience, logical thinking and creativity.
Students participate in a range of activities designed to develop those capabilities, including discipline training, a 5-kilometer nature trek along the sustainable landscape observatory track and nighttime skills simulations through the edutrail program.
Creativity and innovation are also encouraged through the Clash of Agro Champions scientific competition, along with the INSTIPER Talent and Gebyar Talenta creative showcases.
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INSTIPER Rector Harsawardana said OKKABUN represents an important first step in preparing students to become future leaders in the plantation and forestry industries.
“The program is a crucial first step in shaping students’ character so they are prepared to become future leaders in the plantation and forestry industries,” Harsawardana said.
At SEAT Ungaran, students are introduced to good plantation management practices and the use of modern technologies, including drones, the Internet of Things (IoT) and map interpretation for forest and plantation management.
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The exposure is intended to give students an early understanding of how technology and innovation are increasingly integrated into Indonesia’s plantation and forestry sectors.
Harsawardana said INSTIPER’s commitment extends beyond academic and technical capabilities.
“INSTIPER graduates must have the best knowledge, best skill and best character,” he said.
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Alumni Highlight Industry Opportunities
The orientation program also features sessions with INSTIPER alumni to provide students with insights into professional life.
One of the speakers was Totok, president director of PT Jateng Agro Berdikari (Perseroda) and an INSTIPER alumnus from the class of 1990.
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Totok said OKKABUN provides an early opportunity for students to develop the mental resilience, attitude and solidarity required in the workplace.
“Believe that OKKABUN will train the mental strength and attitude you will need when you eventually enter the workforce,” he said.
He also encouraged students to build strong relationships with their peers throughout their university years.
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The chairman of the board of the Yayasan Pendidikan Kader Perkebunan Yogyakarta (YPKPY), which oversees INSTIPER, Purwadi, also encouraged the new students by highlighting the university’s track record in producing professionals for the plantation and forestry sectors.
Purwadi cited INSTIPER alumni Rujito and Arif Catur, who have served as chief operating officers at Astra Agro Lestari.
He also highlighted the long-standing relationship between INSTIPER and pulp and paper company PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), which has provided bonded scholarships through the Sarjana Hutan Tanaman Industri (SHTI) program for 16 years.
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According to Purwadi, the achievements of INSTIPER alumni demonstrate the broad career opportunities available to graduates in Indonesia’s plantation and forestry industries.
Through OKKABUN 2026, INSTIPER aims to ensure that new students gain more than an introduction to university life. The program is intended to build an early understanding of the plantation and forestry sectors as important components of Indonesia’s economy while developing the character and competencies required by industry.
The interactive program also provides a platform for students to build relationships, adapt to campus life and begin aligning their academic development with the expectations of the professional world.
With a focus on knowledge, skills and character, INSTIPER expects its 2026/2027 intake to develop into a new generation of professionals and future leaders for Indonesia’s agriculture, plantation and forestry industries. (P3)
