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Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) celebrated the graduation of 836 postgraduate students, comprising 700 master’s graduates, 92 medical specialty graduates, 3 medical subspecialty graduates, and 41 doctoral degree graduates, on Wednesday (Jan. 24) at Grha Sabha Pramana.
The Rector of UGM, Professor Ova Emilia, commended the academic accomplishments in postgraduate education, hailing it as the initial stride towards ongoing knowledge enhancement. She underscored the importance of lifelong learning and its application to adapt to diverse changes, ultimately benefiting society.
“With the knowledge and competencies you possess, I believe you will positively contribute to advancing science and technology, marking the first step in our nation’s developmental journey,” remarked the rector.
The rector noted the scarcity of postgraduate graduates in Indonesia, referencing President Joko Widodo’s discourse at the Rector’s Forum in Surabaya on Jan. 15 concerning Indonesia’s low ratio of population with master’s and doctoral education (0.45%) compared to neighboring countries (2.43%) and developed nations (9.8%).
Given this context, the graduates shoulder the crucial responsibility of significantly contributing as developmental agents, aiding in addressing national and global issues through sustainable knowledge development, especially with the Golden Indonesia 2045 necessitating high-quality, competitive human resources committed to upholding the dignity and ethics of knowledge.
“Social transformation towards cultivating superior human resources needs to be facilitated by relevant, innovative education and research, one of which is through the implementation of postgraduate education,” she affirmed.
During the ceremony, the rector urged UGM graduates to uphold the institution’s reputation, moral values, and professional integrity wherever they pursue their careers.
“Remain adaptable, innovative, competitive, and of impeccable character to bolster the realization of Golden Indonesia. Given that we are in a political year, I urge all of us to uphold Indonesian values inspired by the spirit of unity in diversity,” she added.
Representing the Doctoral Program in Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Firdausi Nur Azizah highlighted the added postgraduate degree as a new mandate, urging graduates to contribute to society and the environment.
“As the saying goes, ripe rice bows down, indicating that humans should not succumb to arrogance and pride with increasing knowledge, but rather remain humble by continuously seeking knowledge with anyone, anywhere, as knowledge continues to expand regardless of time,” she conveyed.
Dr. Azizah acknowledged that her successful completion of education at UGM was facilitated by the collaboration between UGM and various partners, supporting students’ educational journey through scholarship programs. She disclosed that she was among the recipients of the Master’s Education to Doctorate for Excellent Bachelor (PMDSU) scholarship.
“I extend my gratitude to UGM and the Ministry of Education for giving me and fellow students the opportunity to pursue education without financial burden,” she expressed.
Meanwhile, the Chair of the UGM Alumni Family in East Nusa Tenggara, Robert P. Fanggidae, affirmed that UGM graduates possess the potential to achieve milestones wherever they serve or work. However, he stressed that integrity and ethical values should always underpin these achievements.
“Success is attainable when we uphold integrity, commitment, and values in every endeavor. Every success contributes to building a reputation or good name. To achieve this, we must uphold integrity and deliver performance to earn a reputation,” emphasized Fanggidae, a UGM Faculty of Economics and Business graduate working in one of the People’s Credit Banks in Kupang.
For this period, the average study duration for master’s programs is two years and three months, with the swiftest completion time achieved by Haris Alwafi from the Master of Business Administration program, Faculty of Economics and Business, concluding studies in 1 year and 0 months.
The cumulative grade point average (GPA) for master’s graduates in this period stands at 3.65. Notably, eight graduates with the highest GPA of 4.00 are also bestowed with the predicate of honors, including Nadiyah Hidayati from the Master in Plant Pest Science program, Faculty of Agriculture.
For specialty programs, the average study period spans four years and two months, with the fastest completion time achieved by Chrisdina Puspita Sari from the Prosthodontics program, Faculty of Dentistry, wrapping up studies in 2 years, four months, and four days.
The cumulative GPA for medical specialty graduates is 3.72. The graduate with the highest GPA of 4.00, also bestowed with the predicate of honors, is Cynthia Gunawan from the Prosthodontics program, Faculty of Dentistry.
The average study duration for medical subspecialty programs is 2 years and 5 months, with the fastest completion time attained by Wulan Fadinie from the Subspecialist in Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy program, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, completing studies in 2 years and 15 days.
Subspecialty graduates’ cumulative GPA is 3.74. The graduate with the highest GPA of 3.76 and the predicate of honors is Arif Ikhwandi, from the Subspecialist in Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy program, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing.
Meanwhile, for the doctoral program, the average study period spans 4 years and 9 months, with the quickest completion time achieved by Mukhamad Ngainul Malawani from the Doctorate in Geography program, Faculty of Geography, successfully obtaining his doctorate in 2 years, 8 months, and 17 days.
Additionally, Mukhamad Ngainul Malawani achieved the highest GPA of 4.00, with the predicate of honors. The average GPA for doctoral graduates in this period stands at 3.70.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Firsto