Surakarta, Monday, August 11, 2025 – As a concrete manifestation of student contribution in strengthening the competitiveness of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the digital era, the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga (FEB UNAIR) implemented the program “Impact Campus: Students Care for MSMEs Vol. 2”, in collaboration with the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) Regional Office IV. This program took place from July to August 2025 in the Surakarta area, initiated by two undergraduate students of Management, FEB Universitas Airlangga, Adiba Eliana and Muhammad Farrel, with the support of their supervisor, Mrs. Elsa Yustika Putri, SM, M.SM.
Not only does this program encourage digital transformation, it also prioritizes education on the principles of healthy and ethical business competition, so that MSMEs not only develop technologically but also understand the rules of fair play in facing competition in the market.
This program targets six local MSEs across Laweyan, Banjarsari, and Kadipiro districts, facing various challenges, including manual financial management, suboptimal promotions, and payment methods lacking digital integration. The six MSEs are Shakitchen, Seafood Lamongan Siang Malam, Batik RJM, Catering Mba Gimbul, Amore Donut, and Kreiving.
Mentoring is carried out through a series of strategically designed programs to strengthen the image, professionalism, and competitiveness of MSEs in the digital era. This program includes developing a business Instagram account complete with an attractive and informative product catalog, setting up WhatsApp Business as an official communication channel, implementing a QRIS-based digital payment system to facilitate transactions, providing simple, practical financial report templates, developing a structured social media content planner, creating visual promotional materials in the form of banners or MMTs, and developing educational booklets on healthy business competition practices. All forms of mentoring are tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by each MSE partner.
The benefits of this program have been felt concretely by businesses. Shakitchen, Seafood Lamongan Siang Malam, and Batik RJM have now adopted the QRIS payment system, while implementing more structured digital transaction recording. Catering Mba Gimbul has also begun using digital recording to simplify financial management. Amore Donut and Catering Mba Gimbul have acquired new promotional media in the form of banners to increase visibility and business appeal. Kreiving has begun implementing a routine promotional strategy with planned content. These improvements not only strengthen the daily operations of each MSE but also build a more solid foundation for long-term growth.
"This mentoring really opened my eyes. I understand the importance of separating personal and business finances, and how to promote more effectively. The tools and materials provided were very helpful, and the results are tangible," said Mrs. Wahyuti, owner of Catering Mba Gimbul.
In addition to focusing on MSEs, Adiba and Farrel also carried out an educational mission for the younger generation by visiting Al-Azhar Syifa Budi Solo High School. They provided information about FEB UNAIR to 12th-grade students, covering admissions, accreditation, study programs, and campus facilities. This activity is expected to motivate students in planning for higher education and to introduce the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga as one of the leading economics faculties in Indonesia.
According to Adiba Eliana and Muhammad Farrel, this program is not just a short training program but also includes the provision of work tools that MSEs can immediately apply. They hope that MSEs will not only understand the theory but also experience the tangible benefits of digital transformation in their daily business activities.
In line with this spirit, this program also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 1 (No Poverty) by increasing the economic independence of MSEs, SDG 4 (Quality Education) through the transfer of practical knowledge and skills that can be immediately applied, SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through strengthening business capacity and sustainability, and SDG 17 (Partnerships to Achieve the Goals) through cross-stakeholder collaboration between students, educational institutions, the KPPU and MSEs. The synergy that is built not only provides short-term benefits in the form of increased skills and expanded market access, but also strengthens the foundation for the creation of an adaptive, efficient, and sustainable MSE ecosystem.
With a well-planned approach, field support, and cross-stakeholder collaboration, Adiba Eliana and Muhammad Farrel demonstrated that student engagement can be a crucial catalyst for the digital transformation of MSEs and serve as an educational bridge for the younger generation. Through a combination of well-thought-out strategies and targeted implementation, they successfully encouraged MSEs to become more technologically literate, increase their competitiveness, and expand their market reach. It is hoped that this mentoring model will not only become a good practice locally but can also be replicated across various regions, thereby strengthening an adaptive, efficient, highly competitive, and sustainable MSE ecosystem amidst the evolving digital era.
