SLEMAN - The Office of International Affairs (KUI) UPNVY holds a Social Innovative Program base that is International Community Outreach (ICO) with 10 participants from 4 countries. This annual event aims to assist the local communities through the Design Thinking method, July 16-20, 2018. This activity is part of the P2A (Passage to ASEAN), which is the cooperation of universities in ASEAN in the mission of introducing the culture.

The arrival of the participants was welcomed by the Vice Rector for UPNVY and Head of the Office of International Affairs. The participants consisted of 5 UPNVY students, 2 students of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 2 students of Dagon University Myanmmar, and Darmasiswa program students from Cambodia. All participants stayed for 4 days in the local community of Pulesari Tourism Village, Sleman. Pulesari is a leading tourist village of Sleman that is famous for the production of zalaca.

During the stay in the village, the participants conducted the data collection process through sensitivity, observation, and interview. The participants that were divided into 2 teams, enviroment and tourism, invited to be sensitive to the community problems and provide solutions in the form of creative ideas.

Design thinking method is a creative thinking process obtained from several stages. The end result called prototype hopefully can be effective because it is produced from a directional process. At the end of the activity, the prototype of both teams was in the form of additional tourist rides and renewal of the garbage bank system. The presentation of prototype was done in front of representatives of villagers.

In addition to making the project, the participants were also invited to know Yogyakarta through Batik Class, River Trekking, and City Tour to Tamansari, Malioboro, and Sambisari Temple.

"I am delighted to join this program because I  meet good friends and friendly villagers. Yogyakarta is also a nice and comfortable city, "said Eindra Lyn from Myanmmar. (Lucia Yuriko)