Institute for Research and Community Service of Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, hereinafter abbreviated as LPPM UNS, was established on October 30th, 2004 by virtue of Rector’s Decision No. 649A/J.27/KP/2004 on the Establishment of the Institute for Research and Community Service at Universitas Sebelas Maret and strengthened by Approval of Director of Community Role Development and Empowerment of DIKTI No: 1006/D5.1/T/2005 dated on May 2nd, 2005 on the Amendment to the Statute of Universitas Sebelas Maret. This institution is an amalgamation of UNS Research Institute and UNS Institute for Community Service.

The day after the issuance of above Decision, the Rector also issued Decision No. 651/J27/2004 dated on November 1st, 2004 on the Dismissal of Chair and Secretary of UNS Research Institute, Chair and Secretary of UNS Institute for Community Service, and the Appointment of Chair and Secretary of UNS Institute for Research and Community Service. On that date, the inauguration of the Chair and Secretary of LPPM UNS was also held. The LPPM UNS formation was previously discussed specifically in the UNS Senate Session. Discussions at the senate level had been held several times, with the agenda of merging the Research Institute and the Institute for Community Service. There were 3 options appearing in the middle of the sessions, namely:

  • 1. Maintaining the status quo (no merger),
  • 2. Merging both institutes functionally, in which both institutes organizationally still existed in an independent manner, but conducted their activities jointly, and/or the centers under both institutes were given powers to conduct research and community service activities independently.
  • 3. Totally amalgamating both institutes into an Institute for Research and Community Service with one centralized hierarchy.

On October 23rd, 2004, a Senate meeting was held with the agenda of making a decision for the merger of both institutions. At the meeting, voting was originally going to be held, but after Commission B gave an explanation of the merger idea as well as inputs from several full professors, the voting was cancelled. Further discussions were held to reach an agreement, and in the end, it was agreed by consensus that a total merger would be held. This decision of the Senate became the main basis for the Rector to issue a Decision on the Establishment of the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM).

Thus, LPPM UNS is the implementation element of Universitas Sebelas Maret responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and assessing the implementation of research and community service activities organized by its Centers, Faculties, Study Programs, Sections, groups, and individuals; seeking control in terms of the use of resources; and seeking to develop and improve the quality of research and community service activities. The centers and units within LPPM UNS consist of the centers/units that were used to be under the auspices of the Research Institute and the Institute for Community Service.