FT Unhas and Takalar Regency Government Develop Punaga Village as a Science and Technology Learning Hub for Coastal Communities
Takalar — The Faculty of Engineering at Hasanuddin University (FT Unhas), in collaboration with the Takalar Regency Government, is promoting the development of Punaga Village as a learning hub for science, technology, and the arts for coastal communities. The initiative emerged during an audience between the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Hasanuddin University and the Regent of Takalar, as a follow-up to Hasanuddin University's commitment, particularly through FT Unhas, to becoming a university that delivers tangible impact for communities and regional stakeholders.
During the meeting, both parties agreed to designate Punaga Village, Takalar Regency, as a pilot project for an FT Unhas-supported village. The village is considered to have significant potential for developing science and technology-based programs, particularly in the areas of coastal development, maritime affairs, fisheries, renewable energy, appropriate technology, and strengthening the local economy.
As an initial step, the collaboration will be implemented through community training and development in fiberglass boat construction. The program will involve FT Unhas lecturers and students as technical mentors while also providing students with a hands-on learning environment where they can apply engineering knowledge to address real community needs.
The fiberglass boat-building training will focus not only on production but also serve as a means of transferring knowledge on materials technology, structural design, occupational safety, maintenance, and business development opportunities. Through this approach, community members are expected to become not merely users of technology but also capable of understanding, managing, and independently developing technological solutions.
The initial program will be followed by the implementation of various innovations developed by FT Unhas lecturers and students, including appropriate technologies such as an unmanned coconut tree climbing machine, coconut husk peeling machines, electric motorcycle conversion technology, and micro-power generation systems based on solar and wind energy.
As part of a broader cooperation framework, a three-way collaboration between the Takalar Regency Government, FT Unhas, and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has also been proposed to develop a fiberglass boat production facility serving local fishermen and the fisheries sector. This collaboration is expected to strengthen local maritime technological independence by leveraging the region's existing potential.
FT Unhas has also expressed its commitment to supporting the seven priority programs of the Takalar Regency Government and the development of seven natural tourism destinations in Takalar. Such support may take the form of applied research, community service programs, technical assistance, innovation development, and student involvement in initiatives based on regional needs.
Through this collaboration, FT Unhas reaffirms its role as an impact-driven university that utilizes science and technology as instruments for community empowerment. Punaga Village is expected to become a model for the development of coastal communities through learning, innovation, and collaboration among higher education institutions, local government, research agencies, and communities.