Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is once again committed to strengthening education with an international reputation and standard.
This time, UGM Graduate School (SPs UGM) is seeking international accreditation for two study programs: the Master’s Program in Religious and Cross-cultural Studies (CRCS) and the Doctoral Program in Inter-Religious Studies (IRS).
This accreditation is sought from the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) agency.
The Dean of SPs UGM, Professor Siti Malkhamah, explained that SPs UGM has a vision to be an excellent international-standard graduate school.
It is oriented towards national interests and based on Pancasila values. The submission for FIBAA international accreditation is one effort towards this vision.
“Our mission is to organize internationally competitive postgraduate education, research, and community service,” Professor Malkhamah said on Friday (May 23).
She added that this is done with a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approach based on local wisdom.
Professor Malkhamah mentioned that SPs UGM oversees 14 master’s and 11 doctoral programs spread across various disciplines.
However, these two specific study programs, which are currently undergoing international accreditation, each have their own uniqueness.
The CRCS Program, established in 2000, has graduated 425 alumni and currently has 55 active students.
Meanwhile, the IRS Program, which began operating in 2006, has graduated 70 alumni and still fosters 25 active students.
The CRCS and IRS Programs at Universitas Gadjah Mada are two excellent academic initiatives.
They focus on religious studies from cross-cultural and interfaith perspectives. CRCS offers a master’s program with international cooperation with various universities in Asia, Europe, and Africa.
It is also active in global research projects on religion, decolonization, and ecological crises.
Meanwhile, the IRS Program is a doctoral program supported by a consortium of UGM, State Islamic University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga, and UKDW.
It examines important issues, such as human rights, religious polarization, and religious literacy, through interdisciplinary and international approaches.
UGM Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching, Professor Wening Udasmoro, affirmed that the university’s vision is a continuous process.
According to Professor Udasmoro, vision and mission are continuous identity constructions, where UGM continually advances and develops with new knowledge and experiences.
“We encourage study programs to keep advancing and developing, with different knowledge and different experiences as well. Although much has been achieved, this vision must continue to be pursued through an ongoing process,” Professor Udasmoro added.
FIBAA is an international accreditation agency established to provide quality assurance and higher education development. This accreditation agency aims to promote, update, and reform systems and institutions in higher education. This is done by providing quality certificates to educational programs and higher education institutions.
Through FIBAA, Professor Udasmoro said, UGM is committed to continuously improving the quality of its education and research to compete globally.
Supported by qualified human resources and extensive international networks, Professor Udasmoro is optimistic.
She believes UGM can maintain international accreditation as proof of the excellence and relevance of the education provided.
Author: Lintang Andwyna
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photographs: Firsto Adi and SPs UGM