The Innovation and Creativity Hub of Universitas Gadjah Mada (GIK UGM) is set to hold the 2025 Global EduFair (GEF) on Thursday (Nov. 6) as part of its flagship GIK Education Festival. This global education exhibition marks GIK UGM’s first initiative to create a collaborative platform connecting international universities, students, lecturers, and higher education administrators, thereby expanding international academic networks. The event also aims to provide opportunities for young people to explore academic and professional prospects on a global level.
Dr. Alfatika Aunuriella Dini, Executive Director of GIK UGM, stated that the Global EduFair represents an important first step in establishing an annual global education exhibition ecosystem under the auspices of GIK UGM.
With participation from leading universities and scholarship institutions worldwide, GEF is expected to serve as a platform for direct interaction among students, lecturers, and global partners.
The event also serves as a strategic venue to enhance international exposure and strengthen cross-border academic collaboration.
“The Global EduFair is GIK UGM’s initial step in developing an annual global education exhibition that can serve as a model for other educational institutions in Indonesia,” said Dr. Dini on Tuesday (Nov. 4).
As UGM’s center for innovation and creativity, GIK UGM is designed as a super creative hub that integrates science, technology, arts, culture, and the humanities within a collaborative ecosystem.
Built on a five-hectare site with a total building area of 90,000 m², GIK UGM embodies the concept of smart, modern, and digital greenery, supporting sustainable academic and creative activities.
Its facilities include modern classrooms, art galleries, an auditorium, exhibition spaces, and a 2.2-hectare botanical rooftop garden.
“GIK UGM serves as an open space for the academic community and the public to collaborate and innovate across disciplines,” Dr. Dini explained.
Beyond being a space for innovation, GIK UGM envisions becoming a world-class creative and data center powered by artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
This initiative is expected to position GIK UGM as a magnet for global companies, research institutions, and cultural practitioners seeking collaboration with UGM.
Through its data-driven and technology-based approach, GIK UGM aims to strengthen the university’s contribution to developing innovative solutions for society.
“We envision GIK UGM as a bridge connecting education, industry, and the creative community in mutually empowering ways,” she said.
At the same time, GIK UGM will also serve as the official organizer and creative partner of the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) 2025 in Yogyakarta.
This collaboration demonstrates GIK UGM’s commitment to fostering a global education ecosystem that embraces cross-border and interdisciplinary cooperation.
More than 80 institutions from 17 European Union member countries are expected to participate, opening new opportunities for international collaboration in higher education.
“This partnership reinforces GIK UGM’s position as a vital hub for knowledge exchange between Indonesia and the world,” Dr. Dini noted.
Through the GIK Education Festival, which comprises two main programs, Global EduFair (GEF) and the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF), GIK UGM reaffirms its commitment to strengthening Yogyakarta’s role as a global education city.
The two events complement each other, with GEF showcasing educational institutions from around the world, while EHEF focuses on European universities.
“Both events are designed to provide students with a comprehensive experience in planning their academic and professional futures,” said the executive director.
Dr. Dini emphasized that hosting these two major international education exhibitions marks a significant milestone in expanding global higher education collaboration in Indonesia.
Through these initiatives, UGM reinforces its role as a university open to global academic partnerships and the development of future-ready human resources.
“We hope this initiative will mark the beginning of a more open and globally connected higher education ecosystem in Indonesia,” she concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographs: UGM