Universitas Gadjah Mada recently graduated 59 doctoral students out of 814 postgraduate graduates on Thursday (Jan. 23).
The average study period for the doctoral program was 4 years and 8 months, and six graduates earned a perfect GPA of 4.00.
One of these graduates is Yudi Sapta Pranoto (45), a Development Counseling and Communication Program graduate at UGM’s Graduate School (SPs). He completed his studies in 3 years, 1 month, and 14 days.
Dr. Pranoto expressed his gratitude for completing his Ph.D. with outstanding academic achievement. He could not stop expressing his thankfulness and joy.
“I feel emotional, happy, and deeply grateful for His grace that allowed me to finish my studies on time,” he said on Friday (Jan. 31).
Dr. Pranoto, a lecturer in the Agribusiness Program at the Faculty of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Marine Sciences, Universitas Bangka Belitung, shared his journey to studying in his current program.
While studying at SPs UGM, he received an institutional education scholarship from Universitas Bangka Belitung for his second year until completion. However, this was not an easy feat.
Dr. Pranoto mentioned that in 2021, he applied for the Indonesia Education Scholarship (BPI) but was rejected because the age requirement for applicants was no more than 40 years old.
As Dr. Pranoto was already 41, he was ineligible for the scholarship. Nonetheless, this setback did not dampen his spirit.
After this failure, Dr. Pranoto initiated a group for his fellow doctoral students who shared the same fate. He created a WhatsApp group called “UGM Doctoral Studies Association.” The group fought for the rights of those who were ineligible for scholarships.
Dr. Pranoto made various efforts, including writing a letter to the UGM Rector and seeking support to advocate their case to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
“Unfortunately, that did not yield any response,” he recalled.
Subsequently, as this became a collective issue, it turned into a national matter. Many other doctoral students from different universities experienced the same situation. This shared struggle became the foundation for a joint effort among doctoral students across Indonesia.
“We held meetings with Commission X, the Education Commission, facilitated by the PKS faction in the House of Representatives (DPR RI). In short, the result of these discussions was that the BPI age requirement was raised to 48 years,” he explained.
Dr. Pranoto also added that besides the increase in the applicant age limit from 40 to 48 years, the 2022 BPI scholarship requirements stated that the scholarship was available for students who were still enrolled in the even semester of the 2021/2022 academic year.
As a result, students who had already started their studies in the odd semester of 2021 were not eligible to apply for the 2022 BPI scholarship, causing Dr. Pranoto to fail once again in securing the scholarship.
However, he viewed this as a lesson that not all struggles bring immediate personal rewards; what matters is that others enjoy the benefits of the battle.
In his second year, the Universitas Bangka Belitung Rector’s policy in 2022 offered financial support until his studies were completed, easing the burden of his tuition fees.
His dedication to helping others was reflected in his dissertation, “Determinants of Agricultural Extension Workers’ Role in Implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Muntok White Pepper in Bangka Belitung.” He discussed the role of extension workers and farmers’ implementation of GAPs.
According to him, Bangka Belitung Province produces one of the world’s finest spices, known as Muntok White Pepper.
“This pepper has a distinctive aroma and high piperine content compared to other types of pepper globally and has been cultivated since the 18th century,” he explained enthusiastically.
Unfortunately, the production and export of this pepper have fluctuated, with a declining trend. One of the complex challenges is that farmers still use traditional methods and have not adopted proper GAP.
He explained that this issue is driven by the farmers’ lack of knowledge about GAP and the suboptimal role of extension workers.
Dr. Pranoto appreciated the full support from his advisors during the dissertation writing process. They were easily accessible and had regular weekly meetings.
He also encouraged fellow students at UGM to stay motivated and not give up.
“With every difficulty, there is ease, and always maintain a positive outlook toward God and pray for everyone,” he advised.
In addition to offering encouragement to fellow UGM students, Dr. Pranoto hopes that UGM will continue to pioneer education based on knowledge and community service while maintaining its tradition of academic excellence and strengthening its global network.
“At UGM, we are trained to think critically, innovate, and act with integrity. These values become the foundation for serving society, the nation, and the country,” he concluded.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya