KKN universitas selama ini dianggap tidak efektif karena hanya dijadikan syarat administratif atau formalitas. Suatu program kolaborasi Indonesia dan Australia mencoba menghadirkan skema alternatif.
State university Universitas Jember started as a private university, Universitas Tawang Alun, in 1958 in Jember, East Java, Indonesia. The university got a tremendous support from Jember regent at that time in 1960s, R. Soedjarwo. In 1964, the private university changed into a state university, called Universitas Negeri Jember.
The university has 13 faculties, two program studies, and a post-graduate department.