Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has conferred degrees to 1,797 undergraduate students in the fourth period of the 2023/2024 academic year.
These graduates come from ten faculties: the Faculties of Economics and Business, Psychology, Animal Science, Engineering, Pharmacy, Agriculture, Agricultural Technology, Biology, Dentistry, and Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing.
This number includes four graduates from the previous period who participated in this ceremony.
The graduation ceremony, led by UGM Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Finance, Professor Supriyadi, took place on Wednesday (Aug. 28) at Grha Sabha Pramana. It was noted that female graduates dominated, making up more than 60% of the total.
The average study duration was four years and one month, with the fastest completion time recorded by Finessa Meutia Kamila and Nafisah Diva Arrosyid from the Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Fadhilah Fikriyanti Putri from the Faculty of Biology, who all completed their studies in just three years, four months, and five days.
The average GPA for this period’s undergraduate graduates was 3.60, with over 70% earning the distinction of “Cum Laude.”
Four graduates achieved the highest GPA of 3.97: Naura Hidayat and Mutiara Destyana Safitri from the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Daniella Nadia Prijadi from the Faculty of Engineering, and Finessa Meutia Kamila from the Faculty of Agricultural Technology.
In his address, Professor Supriyadi urged the graduates to maintain a commitment to advancing science and technology and to uphold the university’s name.
He emphasized that in their professional duties, they should prioritize a sense of responsibility towards the welfare of Indonesian society and the world, which is in line with the ideals of the Indonesian nation, as stated in Pancasila.
After the diploma distribution, Professor Supriyadi highlighted three major national concerns: the inauguration of the new capital city, Nusantara Capital City (IKN), the national leadership transition, and the nation’s aspiration to achieve “Golden Indonesia 2045.”
“These three major agendas require all of us to contribute to their realization amidst various global ecosystem challenges,” he stated.
Professor Supriyadi also addressed the challenges posed by digital technology, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), which, while creating new job opportunities, also threatens to reduce human labor in certain modern industries.
Additionally, society now faces the “post-truth” era, in which digital technology can create its realities, leading to a crisis of integrity and morality—a new challenge for the nation’s intellectual development.
“In the post-truth era, knowledge is no longer valued as part of human life, and even the moral dimension of science has almost vanished. This is where universities play a crucial role as a front line in shaping the nation’s future,” he explained.
Professor Supriyadi congratulated the graduates, who now officially join the UGM alumni family, and encouraged them to continue being lifelong learners.
“Enhance your skills and capacities wherever you are. Protect the good name and foster love for your alma mater, as it is where the larger UGM family resides,” he said.
The vice-rector expressed confidence that being adaptive, collaborative, and innovative in developing knowledge and skills will make UGM alumni competitive, resilient, and independent, qualities essential for thriving in the disruptive era.
He noted that in this disruptive era, opportunities must be created rather than waiting for them to arise.
“With deep gratitude and pride, I pray that all UGM graduates who have been conferred degrees today will become individuals of high integrity, moral character, and competitiveness, ready to face the challenges of future civilizations,” he concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Photographer: Firsto