Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), as one of Indonesia’s leading research universities, continues to enhance the quality of its human resources by increasing the number of professors to maintain and strengthen academic standards at both national and international levels.
A total of 81 lecturers have received the Decree of Academic Promotion to Professor.
UGM now has 523 professors, constituting around 15.57% of the total lecturers.
UGM’s Director of Human Resources, Professor Suadi, explained that this achievement is part of UGM’s effort to encourage more lecturers to reach the highest academic and research positions. It is part of the university’s long-term strategy to achieve the target of 17% professors by 2027.
“This growth in the number of professors is certainly encouraging. Last year (2023), we added 101 professors. In 2022, there were 41 additional professors. In previous years, the number of faculty members submitting proposals was relatively small (about 20-30 per year),” he told reporters on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
According to an evaluation by the Ministry of Education on Dec. 23, 2024, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) recorded the highest success rate in submitting applications for promotions to Associate Professor and Professor, with a rejection rate of only 12%.
This success is attributed to the alignment between the faculty, departments, and university in meeting the credit point assessment requirements.
An improved administrative system and an integrated Credit Point Assessment (PAK) system support the increase in lecturers’ interest in applying for promotions. These systems allow lecturers to assess their readiness and meet the promotion requirements according to government regulations.
The process of academic rank promotion at UGM follows government guidelines, and the fulfillment of specific requirements is mandatory.
One of the main requirements is publication in reputable international journals.
“Meeting this requirement is an obligation for any faculty member wishing to apply for a promotion. Not only are specific conditions required, but additional requirements and administrative aspects must also be properly prepared,” Professor Suadi stated.
He also mentioned that UGM is working to facilitate this process so that lecturers do not encounter excessive administrative obstacles.
He assured that UGM’s administrative processes run smoothly and accurately to avoid proposals being rejected due to administrative issues.
Additionally, UGM provides various research funding schemes that lecturers can use to gather data for publication, easing the fulfillment of specific requirements.
A mapping of lecturers based on their functional positions and accumulated credit points has also been conducted.
“This mapping serves as a reference for us to provide appropriate support to faculty members. In this way, the university and faculties can implement effective policies to accelerate the promotion process,” he explained.
Professor Suadi added that UGM also hopes this increase will significantly contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education.
Through the tri-dharma activities—education, research, and community service—UGM’s professors are expected to expand their impact in various aspects of sustainable development, including improving the Human Development Index (HDI).
Moreover, the increase in the number of professors is an important factor in higher education accreditation.
With more faculty members holding high functional positions, such as professors, UGM can strengthen its position in the increasingly rigorous accreditation process.
“Professors are an important indicator in university accreditation, so this increase will help UGM enhance the quality of education,” he said.
He expressed optimism that UGM’s quality of education, research, and community service would continue to improve.
Professors are expected to play a key role in developing innovations and providing solutions to various societal issues.
“We hope that the new professors will have a greater impact on improving the quality of education and contribute to solving societal problems through various tri-dharma activities,” he concluded.
Author: Lintang Andwyna Nurseisa Azrien
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna Nurseisa Azrien