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Articles | Applied Innovation for Community Development | Volume 1 - Issue 1 - 2026 | 1-8 |
© 2026 by the author(s), and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License

Bridging Academic Learning and Community Needs: A Project-Based Learning-Based Drainage Planning Initiative for Sustainable Development Goal 6

Author(s): Muhammad Ismail Hasan ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5668-3088 , Muhammad Naufal Nararya
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Department of Civil and Planning, Vocational College, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia

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Applied Innovation for Community Development

Volume 1 - Issue 1 - 2026

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This paper examined the implementation of a community service program based on a Project-Based Learning (PBL) framework to support rural infrastructure planning while highlighting its pedagogical and practical contributions. The study adopted a qualitative, practice-based approach to document and reflect on activities conducted in Rejosari Village, Bojong, Pekalongan Regency. The program was initiated in response to a request from the village government to address recurring waterlogging problems through the development of a drainage system plan. The program was implemented through several stages, including initial discussions with village officials, joint site surveys, on-site problem identification, collaborative analysis, design development, cost estimation, and the formal handover of technical drawings and budget plans. The process emphasized participatory engagement, field-based learning, and iterative design, involving both lecturers and students in direct interaction with the community. The results indicated that the program generated tangible benefits for both students and the community. Students gained experiential learning opportunities by applying theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges while developing critical-thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. For the community, the program provided a practical and context-sensitive drainage design that could serve as a reference for future infrastructure development. The findings demonstrated that community-based PBL could be effectively implemented in rural contexts and could bridge academic learning with practical application. The study also provided a replicable framework for integrating education, community engagement, and infrastructure planning to support sustainable rural development.

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SUBMITTED: 01 April 2026
ACCEPTED: 06 September 2026
PUBLISHED: 17 September 2026
SUBMITTED to ACCEPTED: 159 days

Cite this article
Hasan, M. I., & Nararya, M. N. (2026). Bridging Academic Learning and Community Needs: A Project-Based Learning-Based Drainage Planning Initiative for Sustainable Development Goal 6. Applied Innovation for Community Development, 1(1), 1–8. Retrieved from https://tecnoscientifica.com/journal/aicd/article/view/1139
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