YOGYAKARTA – To socialise bicyling among new students of Universitas Gadjah Mada, the Unit of Quality Improvement of Leaders (PPKB) of Student Affairs Directorate held a campus biking orientation for students. The event entitled ‘bike to campus’ involved 88 student representatives from 18 faculties.
Ahmad Basis, chairman committee, said the event is one of the efforts to socialise the ‘bike to campus’ programme launched by UGM. The new students are asked to be pioneersin the biking campaign in their respective faculties. “We want to support the green environment on campus. Students may serve as pioneers in their respective faculties,” Ahmad said on the sidelines of the event at the yard of the Balairung hall on Sunday (18/9).
Basis said the bicycling campaign is to introduce students to the campus environment and cycling track. “We hope that students would know their faculty environment well and the whole environment of UGM,” he said.
Director for Assets Management and Maintenance, Dr. Singgih Hawibowo, welcomed this event well. In his opinion, the green bike would not only reduce air pollution but also promote healthy lifestyle. “UGM wants to encourage the adacemic community to save fuels for the interest of the future generation. This starts from UGM and it may spread to Yogyakarta and Indonesia,” he said.
Abdul Rozak, Head of PPKB unit said that the implementation of an educopolis campus has inspired the Higher Learning Directorate General to plan for a similar programme as a pilot project in four universities in Indonesia. “UGM can inspire others,” he said.
After cycling around the campus, the committee selected campus biking ambassador, Fahrudin Darmawan, from Faculty of Forestry. Fahrudin said he would socialise the campus biking to his friends in the Faculty and to others. “In future, we hope not only new students but also all members of academic community (would go biking),” said the young man born in Kudus, Central Java.