Sigi, Central Sulawesi, 28 October 2025 – Entering the second day of the Workshop on Digitalization and Strengthening Economic Institutions in the Palolo Transmigration Area, the Universitas Indonesia Patriot Expedition Team and the ICG FIA UI Research Cluster, together with the Sigi Regency Government, continued in-depth discussions on the direction of economic institutional development, digital integration, and Palolo’s potential as a new economic corridor in Central Sulawesi.

The activity, attended by the Regent of Sigi, Mohamad Rizal Intjenae, S.Sos., M.Si., the Head of the Sigi Manpower and Transmigration Office, as well as various heads of regional government agencies, served as a strategic forum to formulate policy recommendations and a roadmap for strengthening transmigration areas. In his remarks, Regent Rizal emphasized the local government’s commitment to positioning Palolo as a center of inclusive economic growth based on local potential and digital transformation.

“The Palolo transmigration area is not only a historical legacy, but also the future of Sigi’s economic development. With digitalization and strong institutions, we can create economic self-reliance for the community,” affirmed Regent Rizal (Sulteng Terkini, Antara News).

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Teguh Kurniawan, M.Sc., explained the results of his team’s field research, which identified key challenges in economic institutions within transmigration areas, including the need for data integration, inter-institutional synergy, and capacity building of village officials in utilizing digital technology.

“We encourage digitalization not to stop at infrastructure, but to become part of a new institutional culture—one that is collaborative, transparent, and adaptive to local needs,” said Prof. Teguh (Media Alkhairaat, The Opini).

The second day of the workshop also featured cross-sector discussion sessions involving representatives from the Communication and Informatics Office, the Cooperative and MSME Office, the Industry and Trade Office, all village heads in the Palolo Transmigration Area of Sigi, as well as local economic actors from BUMDes, Koperasi Merah Putih, conventional cooperatives, small and medium industries, and other community-based business groups.

This collaboration represents a tangible manifestation of penta-helix synergy among government, academia, society, industry, and media in designing sustainable economic institutional frameworks.

As an initial outcome, the UI Team and the Sigi Regency Government agreed to develop a platform showcasing Sigi’s product and tourism potential, along with several future BUMDes strengthening programs aimed at improving inter-agency coordination, promoting transparency, and facilitating the mapping of economic potential in Palolo.

Mr. Muhammad Yusuf, Director of BUMDes Megamendung, was presented as the Keynote Speaker at the second-day workshop. More than 120 participants attended and showed great enthusiasm in receiving guidance and insights from the speakers.

“The synergy between universities and local governments is a real example of how research-based policy innovation can be implemented directly in the field,” stated Prof. Teguh.

Through the continuity of this program, UI and the Sigi Regency Government hope that the Palolo transmigration area can develop into an inclusive and competitive digital economic ecosystem, serving as a model for collaborative, region-based development in Eastern Indonesia.

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