EduAsiaNews, Jakarta – A cross-agency coordination meeting aimed at strengthening the State Defense Awareness Development Program (PKBN) emphasized the importance of State Defense certification as a measurable indicator of national competency. The forum, led by the Head of the State Defense Center of Bacadnas at the Ministry of Defense, was attended by representatives from ministries, institutions, and universities considered to have strategic roles in reinforcing national values, on Wednesday (April 22, 2026).
In its directive, the meeting highlighted that PKBN is a national priority program, with one of its main outputs being a State Defense certificate awarded to participants who successfully complete the program. This certificate is regarded as strategically valuable, as it can serve as a marker of national competency relevant across various sectors, including education, bureaucracy, and national leadership.
As a speaker in the forum, the Head of the State Defense Center at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta (UPNVJ), Dr. Ridwan, stated that in the future, the State Defense certificate should carry both prestige and tangible leverage. He emphasized that strengthening the meaning of certification is essential so that it does not merely serve as proof of administrative participation, but rather becomes a recognized instrument in strategic national processes.
In his presentation, Dr. Ridwan noted that the State Defense certificate should ideally be considered in university admissions, civil service recruitment, job selection processes, and other strategic mechanisms requiring strong indicators of national insight, discipline, and commitment.
Furthermore, UPNVJ also presented its experience in implementing the State Defense Actualization Program within the university environment. During the forum, it was explained that this model has been developed as part of strengthening the State Defense curriculum and student character development, and is considered to have strong potential to be expanded as a best practice across higher education institutions.
In response, Bacadnas of the Ministry of Defense expressed appreciation and interest in the State Defense actualization model implemented by UPNVJ. Moving forward, such approaches are expected to be more widely replicated across universities as part of a national strategy to build character, strengthen ideological resilience, and instill national awareness among the younger generation.
For UPNVJ, strengthening State Defense is not a temporary agenda. The university positions state defense identity as a core part of its institutional direction. In February 2026, the Rector of UPNVJ, Anter Venus, also emphasized the importance of a non-military State Defense approach integrated into education, research, innovation, and community service. Within this framework, the idea of positioning State Defense certification as an indicator of national competency holds strong relevance, as it connects character development with the nation’s strategic needs in a measurable way.
This meeting is expected to serve as an initial step in strengthening cross-sector synergy, ensuring that State Defense values move beyond discourse and are implemented systematically, measurably, and with tangible impact on national development.(www.upnvj.ac.id)
