Yogyakarta- Universitas Gadjah Mada inaugurated 712 graduates of diploma program with average study period of 3 years and 2 months. The shortest study period is achieved by Fajar Laksono from Korean Language Diploma Program who has completed study in 2 years and 8 months. The youngest graduate is Muhammad Ali Rosid from Mechanical Engineering Department who succeeded to be a graduate at the age of 19 years 1 month and 5 days. The number of cum laude graduates in this period is 86 people or 12.08% from all graduates.
The highest GPA, 3.92, was gained by Faradila Nur Agustina from Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Department.
So, since the establishment of UGM Diploma Program in 1983, Universitas Gadjah Mada has inaugurated 32,277 graduates. “The number of graduates is 14.27% from the total of UGM graduates while from Sarjana Program is 62.37% and Graduate Program 23.33%,” Vice Rector of Academic, Research and Community Service of UGM, Prof. Dr. Retno S. Sudibyo, M.Sc., Apt, said in her speech at Grha Sabha Pramana, Friday (19/8).
Retno said that diploma program is vocational program which aims to produce professional graduates who are ready to work. Diploma graduates are working force that is expected to support performance and success of all real sectors, whether in service or production sectors such as finance, food, health and medicine, infrastructure, automotive or transportation, agro-industry, tourism, geo-informatics, and other sectors.
Therefore, ability, competence and availability of diploma graduates in great number are needed particularly in developing countries like Indonesia to allow it to transform into a developed country. “The more developed a nation, the more qualified diploma graduates with appropriate competence is needed,” she said.
Since year 2008, Retno said, UGM has separated diploma program from Faculty related to become part of Vocational School which is equal to polytechnic in order to make the program more independent and professional. To improve the independence and quality assurance of education of diploma program is to provide separate campus, independent human resources, good and independent or joint practicum facilities and educational quality improvement through more professional curriculum nationally and internationally.
To the graduates, Retno advised them to be able to show high quality performance to contribute in increasing the production of nation’s real sector. “If you can encourage all processes of real sector to be more efficient, effective and qualified, the company potential at which you work will in turn be able to control the market, including penetrating international market,” she concluded.