kopma

Kopma, short for Koperasi Mahasiswa, refers to student cooperatives established within Indonesian universities and other tertiary institutions. These organizations are voluntary, membership-based, and democratically governed, with the aim of applying cooperative principles to campus life and student activities.

Kopma groups emerged to provide students with practical experience in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and cooperative management, while also supporting campus life through student-focused services. They often serve as a training ground for leadership and business skills and align with broader national cooperative movements.

Governance in Kopma typically relies on a general meeting of members, a board of directors, and a supervisory or audit function. Capital is built from member deposits, equity contributions, and revenue generated by campus services. Financial reporting is usually conducted with transparency to the membership, and major decisions require member involvement.

Common activities include operating on-campus businesses such as cafeterias, printing and copying services, bookstores, and food stalls. Kopma also run savings and loan programs, microfinance schemes for students, and provide training, mentorship, and organizational development support to members. These activities aim to improve student welfare while teaching practical business management.

Impact and challenges: Kopma can strengthen student entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and campus economies, but they face governance turnover, capital limitations, risk management issues, and the need to maintain independence from campus politics or administration.

Networks: Many Kopma units are connected through national or regional associations, such as AKOPMA, which coordinates guidelines, training, and knowledge sharing among member cooperatives. These networks help standardize practices and foster collaboration across universities.