Through the Applied Foreign Language study program, the Diponegoro University Vocational School held an international community service activity entitled “International Community Services of SDGs-Based Disaster Mitigation and Waste Management to Attain Resilient and Sustainable Islamic Boarding Schools” on February 24-28, 2025. This activity is one of the Undip Vocational School’s efforts to support the sustainability aspect of Diponegoro University to become a World Class University. This international community service activity involved foreign and local volunteers, where foreign volunteers came from Japan, Italy, and Germany. Ten foreign volunteers participated in this activity.
This community service activity targeted male and female students at 2 Islamic Boarding Schools, namely the Madinah Munawwarah Islamic Boarding School in Semarang and the Al Falah Islamic Boarding School in Salatiga. The volunteers visited each Islamic Boarding School on different days, in Madinah Munawwarah on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, and at Al Falah Islamic Boarding School on Wednesday and Thursday (February 26 and 27, 2025).
Volunteers from Japan and Italy shared their experiences on waste management in their respective countries. Volunteers from Japan explained that certain types of waste can be collected daily. They also invited male and female students to sort waste properly through a simulation.
The volunteers also shared disaster mitigation methods, especially earthquakes. This is important for male and female students, considering that Islamic boarding schools are generally quite dense communities. Volunteers from Japan explained what anticipatory measures they typically take during an earthquake to reduce the impact of the disaster. This activity was accompanied by a simulation, where the students were asked to take cover under the table.
In addition to sharing knowledge about waste management and disaster mitigation, the volunteers also discussed the culture in their countries, from school uniforms to food, with the Islamic boarding school participants. This international community service activity is expected to encourage the target Islamic boarding schools to become resilient and sustainable Islamic boarding schools.
Through the Applied Foreign Language study program, the Vocational School of Diponegoro University is expected to become an intercultural bridge that can strengthen relations between the people of Central Java and the world community. The activity also brought in speakers from BPBD who provided material on earthquake mitigation and making eco-bricks using paper waste by collaborating with speakers from MSMEs.
Source: https://jatengdaily.com/2025/prodi-bahasa-asing-terapan-sekolah-vokasi-undip-gelar-international-community-service/