Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D., asked all alumni not to spread hoax. Because unfounded reports may stir anxiety among some people. “Don’t get yourself get carried by a hoax, let alone help spread it,” she said to some 1,791 undergraduate and diploma fresh graduates after a graduation ceremony in Grha Sabha Pramana hall at UGM on Tuesday (16/2).
Alumni of UGM with their knowledge and intellectuality, said the Rector, were expected to utilise the information sourced from social media wisely and use it for more productive things.
The Rector further asked the alumni to build the rural village by digital technology. UGM, said the Rector, was developing big data and artificial intelligence technology for Smart Village programme in cooperation with University of Massachusetts. The programme aims to help the rural people to achieve welfare. “Through this digital technology, we are able to assist farmers to open direct access to the market and get to know the fluctuations of commodity prices,” she said.
Besides, the Rector added, the digital programme would allow the rural people to detect the disease they are suffering from through the smartphones. “The technology can predict the disease and advise prevention mitigation to users bearing in mind that it’s difficult for them to get access to hospitals,” she said.
In this graduation, UGM inaugurated as many as 1,791 graduates, comprising 1,570 undergraduate and 221 diploma degree holders. Around 20 percent of them are recipients of Bidikmisi scholarships. “At UGM, as high as 32 percent of underpriviledged students are granted with scholarships,” she said.
Nanan Tresnaasih, one of the fresh graduates from Faculty of Pharmacy, expressed her pride after completing her degree and joining the inauguration. Despite her modest family background, her spirit to pursue higher learning education has never ceased. “Becoming a graduate of UGM is a pride to me and my family,” she said.
To her fellow graduates, Nanan asked to give real contribution to the people and the nation through ideas, creativity, and knowledge. “Any occupation we profess, let’s give our best to the society,” she concluded.