Universitas Gadjah Mada in the 2014/2015 academic year has accepted up to 9,133 new students for the undergraduate and diploma programmes. The new students not only come from 34 Indonesian provinces but there are also 45 students from France, Germany, Qatar, and Malaysia. The youngest student coming from Solo in Central Java, Arya Bagus Kevin, is 14 years old.
Rector of UGM, Prof. Dr. Pratikno, M.Soc.Sc, said in his opening remarks on 18 August that the new students coming from Batak, Minang, Banjar, Maluku, Papua, and other ethnic groups as well as foreign countries are a symbol of diversity. Coming to Jogja, they do not become a Jogja person but Indonesian.
According to the Rector, becoming Indonesian is becoming a man of tolerance that gives room to diversity, mutual understanding, whilst refraining from being dominating.
Following on these, UGM will provide facilities to the new students to enable mutual interaction, communication, socialising, and lecture opportunities at other faculties.
Students getting brought up together will make them respect the values of Pancasila, the belief in God, humanity, justice, and the unity of Indonesia.
These all, the Rector said, will become the basic values. Students will be able to be more sensitive, have good morals, responsibility, and tolerance.
“UGM is one of the best Indonesian universities. Along with other universities, we would like to make Indonesia proud at the international level,” said the Rector. He welcomed the new students to the university of Pancasila that always fights for humanity and Indonesian national progress.
Meanwhile, UGM Academic Director, Dr.Agr. Ir. Sri Peni Wastutiningsih, said in 2014 the number of UGM registrants was increasing significantly, from 263,831 in 2013 to 295,395 for the 68 undergraduate study programmes. In diploma level, there were 19,782 regristrants in 2013 and in 2014 there are 25,480.