Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) broke ground on a new building for its Faculty of Psychology, underscoring the university’s commitment to modern learning environments and a sustainable campus.
The groundbreaking ceremony for Building C was led by UGM Rector Prof. Ova Emilia, accompanied by Dr. Rahmat Hidayat, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, along with university leaders on Tuesday (July 14), officially marking the start of construction.
The project was initiated following structural assessments of one of the faculty’s existing buildings. According to Dr. Hidayat, evaluations conducted by the Civil Engineering Laboratory at UGM’s Faculty of Engineering in 2022 and 2023 found that the four-story Building G no longer met structural safety standards.
The new facility will comprise seven above-ground floors and one basement level will span approximately 8,220 square meters. Designed to support both learning and collaboration, it will feature 17 classrooms, flexible learning spaces, a 250-seat lecture hall, two large classrooms accommodating 300 students each, and a total capacity of approximately 1,500 people.
Beyond expanding teaching facilities, Dr. Hidayat said the building is intended to create an environment that encourages innovation, continuous improvement, and academic excellence, while strengthening the faculty’s ability to support UGM’s Tri Dharma missions of education, research, and community service.
“We sincerely appreciate everyone who has contributed to this project. God willing, construction will be completed and the building handed over by June 2027,” he said.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Emilia reaffirmed UGM’s commitment to developing campus facilities that support both academic excellence and environmental sustainability. She noted that every new construction, renovation, or redevelopment project is guided by the university’s policy to maintain at least 30 percent of the campus as green open space, reinforcing UGM’s long-term vision of a sustainable green campus.
“We will continue to support strategic initiatives that strengthen UGM’s commitment to becoming a sustainable green campus,” she said.
Prof. Emilia added that future campus facilities should also address the evolving needs of higher education by providing spaces that foster creativity, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
She expressed hope that the Faculty of Psychology Building C would become more than a new academic facility, serving instead as a collaborative hub where students, lecturers, researchers, and partners can work together to create meaningful impact for society.
“Let us support and safeguard this project together. We hope construction proceeds smoothly and that the new building will make a lasting contribution to education and national development,” she concluded.
Author/Photo: Hanifah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian