EduAsiaNews, Banjarmasin – Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) received an official audience visit from the Government of Hulu Sungai Tengah (HST) Regency, led directly by Regent Samsul Rizal and accompanied by several senior officials, including the Regional Secretary and the Head of the HST Regency Education Office. The meeting took place in the Wasaka 3 Meeting Room on the third floor of the ULM Rectorate Building in Banjarmasin on Wednesday (June 3, 2026).
The event was also attended by the Vice Rectors, the Head of the Academic and Student Affairs Bureau, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, the Dean of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), the PSDKU management team, and the heads of the study programs that will be offered at the Banua Enam Off-Campus Study Program (PSDKU) in Hulu Sungai Tengah.
The delegation was welcomed by ULM Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Alim Bachri, S.E., M.Si., as a follow-up to the issuance of Ministerial Decree No. 584/B/O/2026 dated May 25, 2026, by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, granting approval for the establishment of Universitas Lambung Mangkurat’s Off-Campus Study Program (PSDKU) in Banua Enam, Hulu Sungai Tengah.
During the meeting, both parties discussed a range of strategic measures to support the implementation of ULM’s PSDKU in Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency. The discussions covered the readiness of facilities and infrastructure, local government support, educational governance, and collaborative efforts to ensure the quality of higher education services for communities across the Banua Enam region.
During the discussion, Samsul Rizal revealed that 160 schools in HST Regency are currently experiencing a shortage of physical education teachers. In line with this situation, field surveys conducted by the HST Regency Government indicated that the Physical Education Study Program is among the most sought-after academic programs by twelfth-grade students in the region. He therefore expressed his hope that the ULM Rector would consider increasing the student admission quota to accommodate the growing interest among prospective students.
Responding to the request from the HST Regency Government regarding an increase in the admission quota for the Physical Education Study Program, the ULM Rector expressed a positive response. He stated that the proposal would be carefully considered by the university, taking into account various factors, including institutional capacity, resource availability, and the regulations established by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology.
The ULM Rector also affirmed the university’s readiness to facilitate the admission process for new students at PSDKU Banua Enam HST, should the need arise, as part of its commitment to expanding access to higher education for communities in the region.
