Surabaya, June–August 2026. The internship program for students of the S-1 Chemistry Study Program, Department of Chemistry, Universitas Airlangga, at SMAN 3 Surabaya provided an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge gained during their studies while making a meaningful contribution through community service in the field of education. One of the main focuses of the program was mentoring students participating in the Indonesian Student Research Olympiad (OPSI) and the National Science Olympiad (OSN).
The mentoring activities were carried out through intensive guidance to help students prepare for the competitions. In OPSI, the university students assisted participants in developing research ideas, determining topics and research problems, preparing research designs, understanding the methods used, and discussing research findings. Meanwhile, OSN mentoring focused on strengthening conceptual understanding, practicing questions, discussing learning materials, and engaging in discussions to develop students’ critical and analytical thinking skills.
The activities were not solely oriented toward competition achievement, but also encouraged students to develop independent learning skills, become confident in expressing their ideas, and solve problems systematically.
The program involved internship students from the S-1 Chemistry Study Program, Department of Chemistry, Universitas Airlangga, students participating in the chemistry fields of OPSI and OSN at SMAN 3 Surabaya, as well as supervising teachers from the school. The university students served as mentors and facilitators by providing the knowledge, guidance, and feedback needed by the students throughout their competition preparation.
The activities took place from June to August 2026 at SMAN 3 Surabaya. During this period, the mentoring was conducted gradually according to the students’ needs and the school’s schedule. Direct interaction enabled the university students to understand the challenges faced by the participants while providing more appropriate guidance.
OPSI and OSN mentoring played an important role in helping students develop their potential in science and research. In addition to improving their readiness for competitions, the activities also provided an opportunity for university students to share their academic knowledge and experiences with school students. This is in line with the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, particularly in the area of community service.
The benefits of the activities were also felt by the school. The Vice Principal for Student Affairs of SMAN 3 Surabaya stated, “This activity has been very beneficial and helpful for our students in competing at the city level and preparing the students of SMAN 3 Surabaya to achieve greater accomplishments in the future.”
This statement highlights that the presence of university students in the mentoring activities not only supported students’ preparation for competitions, but also contributed to the school’s efforts to create an environment that encourages students to continue developing and achieving.
The mentoring was conducted through discussions, guidance, practice sessions, consultations, and evaluations. In OSN mentoring, students were given the opportunity to work on practice questions independently before discussing the solutions with the university students. In OPSI mentoring, the university students assisted participants in evaluating their research ideas and designs and provided feedback on the research process and findings.
Through the internship program conducted from June to August 2026, S-1 Chemistry students of Universitas Airlangga not only gained experience from the school environment but also contributed through knowledge transfer and mentoring. This activity represents a tangible form of collaboration between higher education institutions and schools in supporting the development of the younger generation in the field of science.
This article is a repost from the Civitas Articles page of Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) and has been adapted for publication on the UNAIR Chemistry website.
Original source: “From the Laboratory to the Classroom: UNAIR S-1 Chemistry Students Mentor SMAN 3 Surabaya Students to Achieve Success in OPSI and OSN”
