The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) of Universitas Jember has once again demonstrated its commitment to community service by organizing a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for the Final Report on the Drafting of the Situbondo Regency MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) Module.
The event involved a wide range of stakeholders, including the Situbondo Regency Regional Government Agencies (OPD), an expert team from Universitas Jember, and local MSME entrepreneurs. This FGD served as a strategic forum to evaluate and refine the MSME module, which is designed as a practical guide for business owners to enhance their capacity and competitiveness in the digital era. Situbondo Regency itself holds immense potential, boasting approximately 40,000 MSMEs spread across various sectors, including agriculture, processing industries, and trade.
The formulation of this MSME module is expected to serve as a vital instrument in optimizing regional economic development programs, including supporting the FORSA UMKM program initiated by the local government. The compiled module consists of several main sections covering:
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Business legality and licensing
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Financial management and bookkeeping
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Digital marketing strategies
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Business network strengthening
Furthermore, the module is specifically tailored to address critical challenges faced by local entrepreneurs, such as low digital literacy, managerial constraints, and a lack of product innovation.
The discussion progressed dynamically, yielding constructive feedback from the participants. One of the primary issues raised was the importance of inter-agency synergy in implementing the module. This includes the active involvement of relevant departments such as the Cooperatives Agency, the Communication and Informatics Agency, and the Health Agency.
During the session, representatives of MSME actors also shared various on-the-ground challenges, ranging from complex business legality processes to difficulties in financial record-keeping. This has become a shared concern, prompting efforts to streamline services and provide continuous assistance, including the planned establishment of an Integrated Business Service Center (PLUT) in Situbondo Regency.
Through this initiative, FISIP Universitas Jember hopes that the resulting MSME module will not merely serve as an administrative document. Instead, it is intended to be actively implemented through training, mentoring, and cross-sector collaboration. Consequently, MSMEs in Situbondo can achieve sustainable growth and contribute more significantly to the regional economy.