As many as 28 leaders of state and private universities in the Special Region of Yogyakarta province gathered at Universitas Gadjah Mada to discuss issues following the endorsement of Law on Higher Learning and Law on the Specialty of Yogyakarta. We need to establish cooperation with each other, about what we could do. For example, I heard that the input of students to universities in Yogyakarta has increased, it is important how we think about it,” said Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Dr. Pratikno, M.Soc.Sc., in University Club, Thursday (27/9).
According to the Rector, cooperation needs to be established between universities to support Yogyakarta as a city of education and tourism, like finding solutions to the problem of student admissions, learning process, drugs, and anticipatory measures on extracurricular education. As such, Yogyakarta is not only a province of education and tourism but also education tourism. “I have once discussed this, but there is no follow-up,” he said.
As a tourist city, Yogyakarta will very much depend on the visitors. The emergence of new hotels is expected to encourage academic community to respond to such condition. Yogyakarta’s universities can organise a prestigious international seminar regularly, “These can be scheduled off peak season. We can organise seminars when hotels are not busy with visitors. Committees can run the programme in turn and work together with Yogyakarta regional government,” he added.
Seminar participants welcomed the first gathering, Forum for Leaders of State and Private Universities in Yogyakarta. The Forum is expected to be able to build the respective campuses more progressively, benefiting the wider public. Through the Forum, networking can be established, preventing the emergence of the feeling of isolation. “If we do it separately on our own, we will be miserable; but we have the same interest,” said Rector of Yogyakarta State University, Prof. Dr. Rochmat Wahab, M.Pd., M.A.
In terms of new student admissions, a new system will be enacted starting next year. As many as 50% new students of state universities will be admitted through academic achievement selection, 30% through written test, and 20% through independent system. "We will do things as stipulated, the rest will be managed by private universities,” he added.