Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has been recognized by the Directorate General of Learning and Student Affairs, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, as the best higher education institution for establishing a disability services unit.
The second-place award went to Universitas Victory Sorong, while Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya secured third place.
Dr. Wuri Handayani, Head of UGM’s Disability Services Unit (ULD UGM), expressed pride and gratitude for Belmawa Ristek Dikti’s acknowledgment.
She noted that in its 2024 proposal for a grant to establish a Disability Services Unit at universities, ULD UGM successfully conducted several activities, including a benchmarking study to the Disability Study and Services Center at Universitas Brawijaya.
“This study aimed to explore how they provide proper accommodations for students with disabilities,” she stated at UGM on Wednesday (Dec. 18).
Additionally, UGM has been creating an inclusive campus journey video since 2006. The initiative to establish an inclusive campus was furthered by forming a Student Activity Unit for Disabilities in 2012 and officially establishing ULD UGM in 2024.
UGM has also conducted assessments to identify the needs of students with disabilities, aiming to pinpoint their challenges and determine necessary accommodations to enhance their learning experience.
“The results of these assessments are sent to and discussed with the vice deans for academic affairs of each faculty and school to provide appropriate accommodations. We’ve also drafted short-, medium-, and long-term work programs for ULD,” Dr. Handayani explained.
She views this award as a reflection of ULD UGM’s continued promotion of inclusivity in higher education. Dr. Handayani hopes the experience can serve as a lesson for other universities that have yet to establish similar units.
“We aim to fulfill the mandate of ULD’s establishment as outlined in Rector Regulation No. 19/2024, focusing on advocacy, facilitation, and assessment for students with disabilities at UGM to help them achieve their full potential,” she stated.
Dr. Handayani aspires to make ULD UGM a center of excellence on disability issues in Indonesia while acknowledging that this goal requires collective effort.
“We always seek support and input from all stakeholders,” she added.
ULD UGM operates under the Aspiration, Connection, Innovation, and Inclusion tagline.
“Aspiration represents our willingness to listen to feedback from all parties. Connection highlights our need for broad collaboration. Innovation emphasizes developing new solutions to support inclusivity, and Inclusion ensures no one is left behind, including individuals with disabilities,” she elaborated.
Despite receiving the award, Dr. Handayani acknowledged ongoing challenges. These include insufficient awareness and understanding among lecturers, staff, and non-disabled students about inclusive education and the specific needs and accommodations for students with disabilities.
Furthermore, UGM’s infrastructure still lacks full accessibility, which hampers the independence of students with disabilities.
“We also face limitations in human resources; the number of personnel managing ULD UGM remains inadequate to provide optimal services,” she concluded.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographer: Firsto