Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) recently conferred degrees upon 2,335 postgraduate students during the graduation ceremony held on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Among the doctoral graduates, Dr. Raden Roro Widya Ningtyas Soeprajitno, from the Accounting Program at the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM), was recognized as the fastest doctoral graduate. While the average study period for a doctoral program is 4 years and 12 months, Dr. Soeprajitno completed hers in just 2 years, 10 months, and 27 days.
Dr. Soeprajitno completed her studies through the Master’s to Doctorate Scholarship Program for Outstanding Undergraduates (PMDSU).
Her strong motivation to become a lecturer as soon as possible inspired her to pursue the program.
As the first child and the first grandchild in her family to attend university, she was determined to make the most of the opportunity.
“I am truly grateful to have reached this stage,” she said on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
When asked about her choice to study accounting, Dr. Soeprajitno explained that she has always enjoyed working with numbers.
However, she emphasized that accounting is not merely about calculations but also about logical reasoning.
“It’s not just about debit and credit; it’s also about decision-making within a company and the implementation of certain programs,” she said.
Dr. Soeprajitno admitted that she did not have a specific motivation to accelerate her studies. She only aimed to graduate on time.
Apart from the expectations set by her scholarship, the strong foundation she built with her professor helped make the process smoother and faster.
During her master’s program, she had already become familiar with research patterns, work ethics, and academic writing under her professor’s guidance, which encouraged her to deliver her best in her dissertation.
“Finishing early was just a bonus. Whether we graduate quickly or slowly, what matters most is being satisfied with our work,” the alumna remarked.
As part of the scholarship requirements, Dr. Soeprajitno was expected to publish three Scopus-indexed articles during her studies while simultaneously completing her dissertation.
This required her to have excellent time management skills.
She expressed her gratitude for the strong support and open communication she received from her academic supervisors.
“I consider myself fortunate to have met lecturers who provided unwavering support and fostered two-way communication,” she said.
At the doctoral level, her dissertation was titled “Climate Change Disclosure, Competitiveness, and Firm Value: The Role of Legal Environment.”
Her research examined whether climate change disclosures enhance a company’s competitiveness and positively impact its firm value.
She chose this topic in response to the issuance of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2, which address sustainability and climate-related disclosures.
“I wanted to observe companies’ responses to existing regulations using an ex-post approach with data from previous years,” she explained.
Looking ahead, Dr. Soeprajitno aspires to apply her knowledge as an educator, as becoming a lecturer has always been her goal.
In addition to completing several ongoing research projects and co-authoring a book with her professor, she is also independently supervising student research.
As a closing message, Dr. Soeprajitno encouraged doctoral students to stay on track and strive for excellence without comparing themselves to others, as everyone has their own timeline.
“It’s important to understand your strengths and weaknesses, stay motivated, and focus on your ultimate goal,” she advised.
Author: Jesi
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographs: Dr. Raden Roro Widya Ningtyas Soeprajitno