Postgraduate education is not an endpoint. This stage serves as a stepping stone to continue developing knowledge, learning throughout life, and implementing it to adapt to various changes and benefit society.
This was stated by the Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Professor Ova Emilia, MD, before 713 graduates of Master’s, medical specialty, medical subspecialty, and doctoral programs who were inaugurated in a conferring ceremony on Wednesday (26/7) at Grha Sabha Pramana.
According to the rector, graduates face increasingly complex future challenges, requiring innovative competence in knowledge and skills.
“The complexity of these future challenges necessitates human resources with innovative, agile, creative, and collaborative knowledge, insights, and skills while remaining humanistic in responding to national and global environmental changes,” said the rector.
Professor Emilia mentioned that Indonesia and other countries worldwide are currently facing an increase in geopolitical tensions that influence changes in the economic policies of major countries.
In addition to the challenges posed by the development and acceleration of digital technology, which on the one hand, enhances efficiency, it also brings about other issues, such as a decrease in the demand for labor due to the use of robotics and an increase in digital security risks.
Citing the 2023 World Economic Forum report, it is estimated that the global economy will experience a slowdown of 1.7% in almost all developed and developing countries. One tangible impact of this slowdown is the increased cost of living and the high risk to public health.
The rector stated that the government had begun efforts to raise awareness to face these challenges and prepare the best scenarios as a mitigation step.
These efforts include promoting job opportunities, enhancing the quality of human resources, improving food management, strengthening the digital ecosystem, developing research and innovation, increasing research translations, and implementing regulatory system reforms to mitigate the risks of Indonesia’s economic growth slowdown.
Facing these global and national challenges, the rector emphasized that Universitas Gadjah Mada remains committed to equipping students with adequate understanding, skills, and insights to produce graduates as agents of national development.
The university continues to focus on relevant curricula, multidisciplinary education, strengthening collaboration networks and global research, and enhancing the quality of student exchange programs, internships, and entrepreneurship programs to fulfill this commitment.
She believes that the competencies and personal qualities possessed by the graduates of UGM will provide adequate preparation to sharpen their intelligence and wisdom in their actions and thoughts and contribute to solving future challenges in the nation’s life.
In this ceremony, UGM graduated 713 students: 611 from Master’s programs, including eight international students, 59 from specialty programs, three from subspecialty programs, and 40 from doctoral programs, with one international student.
The average study period for graduates of Master’s programs is two years and four months, with the fastest achieved by Thesa Amijayanti from the Master’s Program in Clinical Medicine, UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing. Amijayanti completed her studies in 1 year, one month, and 24 days.
The average age of Master’s program graduates in this period is 29 years and six months, with the youngest graduate being Radhitya Virya Paramasuri Sunarso from the Master’s Program in Industrial Engineering, UGM Faculty of Engineering, who graduated at the age of 22 years, eight months, and 26 days.
The average Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) for Master’s program graduates in this period is 3.68. Seven graduates achieved the highest GPA of 4.00 with honors, including Kurniawan Putra Santoso from the Master’s Program in Civil Engineering, UGM Faculty of Engineering.
The average study period for graduates of medical specialty programs is four years and one month, with an average Cumulative GPA of 3.80 and an average age of graduates being 34 years, six months, and 17 days. Forty-four graduates achieved honors, and the rest received a Very Satisfactory predicate.
Deniar Faizya Widhawati from the Periodontology Study Program, UGM Faculty of Dentistry, achieved the fastest study period, completing her degree in 2 years, nine months, and 12 days. Widhawati was also the youngest specialty program graduate at 28 years, two months, and 20 days and achieved the highest GPA of 3.99 with honors.
For medical subspecialty programs, the average study period is two years and seven months, with an average Cumulative GPA of 3.84 and an average age of graduates being 38 years, nine months, and ten days.
Muhammad Javedh Iqbal is the subspecialty graduate with the highest GPA (3.87 with honors). He is from the Subspecialty Program in Obstetrics and Gynecology, UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing.
Danny Pratama Kuswadi, from the Subspecialty Program in Internal Medicine, UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, is the fastest to complete subspecialty training in 2 years, four months, and 12 days and the youngest graduate (34 years, eight months, and six days).
Lastly, for doctoral program graduates, the average study is four years and eight months, with the fastest achieved by Aldi Herbanu from the Doctoral Program in Dentistry, UGM Faculty of Dentistry, who obtained his doctoral degree in 2 years, nine months, and eight days.
The average age of doctoral program graduates is 43 years and six months, with the youngest being Kusuma Putri Suwondo from the Doctoral Program in Chemistry, UGM Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, at 26 years, five months, and 16 days.
The average GPA for doctoral program graduates in this period is 3.84. Two individuals achieved the highest GPA of 4.00 with honors, including Liza Angelia from the Doctoral Program in Veterinary Science, UGM Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Firsto