The Faculty of Geography at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) officially opened its 63rd Anniversary celebration under the theme “Geo Inno Techno: Sinergi Sains untuk Bumi yang Berkelanjutan” (Geo Inno Techno: Synergizing Geographic Science for a Sustainable Earth).
Held at the Faculty of Geography campus, the opening brought together faculty members, alumni, administrative staff, and students. The event also featured the launch of the faculty’s new official mascot, Buana, and a symbolic bird release representing hope and the faculty’s commitment to building a sustainable future.
Dean of the UGM Faculty of Geography Professor Muhammad Kamal said the anniversary should serve as more than a celebration of the faculty’s history. It should also provide an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and encourage the academic community to make a greater contribution to society.
He emphasized that addressing environmental and sustainability challenges requires continuous innovation, technological advancement, and stronger collaboration in developing geographic science.
“The Faculty of Geography must continue to innovate, make the best use of existing technologies, and strengthen collaboration so that the knowledge we develop can provide the broadest possible benefits for Indonesia and the world,” he said.
The 63rd Anniversary celebration will feature a range of academic, social, and community activities, including a Three-Minute Thesis Competition, Geo Awards, community service programs, cemetery visits, discussion forums, social service activities, a gathering for senior alumni, a fun walk, and an open senate meeting.
The activities are intended to strengthen relationships across the faculty while creating opportunities for collaboration in advancing the university’s tridharma missions of education, research, and community service.
Professor Kamal hoped the anniversary would become a platform for exchanging ideas and developing solutions to challenges facing society.
“I hope this anniversary celebration will not merely become a routine event or celebration but serve as a moment for all of us to communicate, collaborate, and strengthen our shared commitment to contributing solutions to the many challenges facing our nation,” he said.
One of the highlights of the anniversary opening was the introduction of Buana as the Faculty of Geography’s new official mascot.
Derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “Earth” or “universe,” Buana also represents five core values of the Faculty of Geography: Berintegritas (Integrity), Unggul (Excellence), Amanah (Trustworthiness), Nalar Spasial (Spatial Reasoning), and Adaptif (Adaptability).
These values are intended to guide the academic community in carrying out the university’s tridharma missions while responding to the challenges of sustainable development.
Professor Kamal explained that the values represented by Buana reflect the qualities that the Faculty of Geography seeks to cultivate among its academic community.
Integrity, excellence, and trustworthiness form the foundation for responsible academic and professional practice, while spatial reasoning represents a distinctive characteristic of geographic science. Adaptability, meanwhile, is increasingly important as society faces rapid technological, environmental, and social changes.
“Buana stands for integrity, excellence, trustworthiness, spatial reasoning, and adaptability,” he explained.
Through the new mascot, the faculty also hopes to strengthen its institutional identity and create a symbol that resonates with students, lecturers, staff, and alumni while inspiring them to continue innovating and serving society.
Chair of the 63rd Anniversary Organizing Committee, Dr. Retnadi Heru Jatmiko, said the Geo Inno Techno theme reflects the importance of integrating geographic science, technology, and innovation to address sustainability challenges.
According to him, the anniversary program will showcase technologies and innovations developed by the Faculty of Geography while creating opportunities for the academic community to share ideas and strengthen collaboration.
“Our tagline is Geo Techno Inno. We will showcase the technologies we have developed, the innovations we have achieved, and our commitment to advancing sustainable geographic science,” he said.
The anniversary series will continue with various activities leading up to the open senate meeting scheduled for Sept. 1. Through the program, the Faculty of Geography aims to demonstrate how geographic knowledge and technological innovation can help address environmental and societal challenges.
Following the opening ceremony and mascot launch, faculty leaders and representatives of the academic community took part in a symbolic bird release.
The activity represented the faculty’s renewed commitment to growth, collaboration, and innovation in pursuing a more sustainable future. It also marked the official beginning of the Faculty of Geography’s 63rd Anniversary celebration, which will culminate in September.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-Editor: Zabrina Kumara
Photo: Donnie