STIEKIA Strengthens the Role of Higher Education in MSME Empowerment through Collaboration with ASBF

As a form of commitment to supporting the empowerment of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), STIE Cendekia Bojonegoro has established a strategic partnership with the Asia Small Business Federation (ASBF) Bojonegoro Area through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) themed "Optimizing Business Potential in the Digital Era: MSME Financial Reporting Strategies and Effective Sales Strengthening."

This collaboration is a concrete step by STIE Cendekia Bojonegoro in implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, particularly in the field of community service, through mentoring and capacity building for MSME players so they can adapt to technological developments and the increasingly competitive demands of the business world.

In the digital era, financial management is one of the fundamental aspects that determine the sustainability of a business. However, many MSME players still face obstacles in compiling financial records and reports systematically. This condition impacts business decision-making processes, determination of cost of goods sold, measurement of profit levels, and access to financing from financial institutions.

Through this synergy, STIE Cendekia Bojonegoro will provide science-based mentoring in the fields of management and accounting. Lecturers and academics will act as partners in providing education and mentoring to MSME players so they can implement financial governance that is more professional, accountable, and in accordance with modern business needs.

The Head of STIE Cendekia Bojonegoro, Nurul Mazidah, S.E., MSA., Ak., stated that higher education institutions have a responsibility to provide solutions to the various challenges faced by the community, including the MSME sector. According to her, the collaboration between the academic world and the business world is expected to produce applicable innovations so that the benefits of knowledge can be felt directly by business players.

Meanwhile, R. Susilo Indrianto, S.Pd., S.T., M.M., C.PP., as the Chief Executive of the ASBF Bojonegoro Area, stated that the collaboration with STIE Cendekia Bojonegoro is part of ASBF's efforts to create competitive MSMEs that have good business governance and are able to utilize digital technology to improve business performance.

Through this collaboration, both institutions are committed to strengthening the MSME empowerment ecosystem through increased financial literacy, strengthening managerial capacity, and developing marketing strategies that are adaptive to the developments of the digital era. This program is expected to encourage the birth of more professional MSMEs that are capable of competing at the national and international levels, as well as providing a greater contribution to regional economic growth.

The collaboration between STIE Cendekia Bojonegoro and the ASBF Bojonegoro Area is proof that the synergy between higher education and business organizations has a strategic role in creating a resilient, innovative, and sustainable MSME ecosystem. Moving forward, this cooperation is expected to continue to develop through various mentoring, training, and capacity-building programs that provide tangible benefits to the community and support the realization of increasingly advanced and competitive Bojonegoro MSMEs.