Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Rector Professor Ova Emilia sent off 43 UGM student teams set to compete in the 39th National Student Scientific Week (PIMNAS) in 2026. The send-off ceremony took place at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM) on Friday afternoon (October 30). This year, UGM has the largest number of teams qualifying for PIMNAS among all universities. Emilia praised the students for their hard work throughout the lengthy process, from developing ideas and testing arguments to addressing shortcomings and building teamwork.
In her remarks, Ova emphasized the importance of freedom of thought and expression as part of UGM’s academic tradition. An open space for dialogue allows diverse perspectives to emerge and contribute to knowledge development. This culture must continue to be nurtured, including in social life beyond the university campus.
“UGM has a strong academic tradition that provides room for critical thinking. Students need to be highly curious, avoid accepting knowledge at face value, dare to question established assumptions, test ideas against evidence, and remain open to criticism,” she said.
Furthermore, Ova said freedom of thought and openness to feedback are integral to democratic life and must be upheld at the university. She affirmed that she welcomes input from both within and outside UGM. She added that the ability to present arguments and defend ideas is an important asset for students as they face competition.
Ova therefore encouraged all team members to remain composed when confronted with difficult questions and to respond with well-founded arguments.
The rector also reminded students to uphold the university’s reputation and maintain the highest standards of integrity throughout the competition. PIMNAS is expected to provide students with a valuable experience to demonstrate the quality of their work while developing into accomplished academics with strong character.
On the occasion, Ova also thanked the faculty advisors, supervising lecturers, and the PKM Center for their collaboration in preparing the contingent, from formulating ideas to providing guidance ahead of the competition. She stressed that achievements must be pursued through a process grounded in integrity and dignity.
“Show that the tradition of critical thinking fostered at UGM can generate outstanding ideas and produce students who have the courage to champion those ideas in pursuit of the highest achievements,” she added.
UGM Director of Student Affairs Dr. Hempri Suyatna said that qualifying 43 teams for PIMNAS was a remarkable achievement for both the students and their supervising lecturers and faculty advisors. This accomplishment also builds on UGM’s success in securing funding for 56 Student Creativity Program (PKM) proposals in the previous stage. He hopes this year’s number of teams qualifying for PIMNAS will provide a strong foundation for UGM to once again achieve the competition’s highest honor.
Beyond the competition itself, Hempri hopes the innovations students develop will continue to grow after PIMNAS concludes. These projects are expected to have a lasting impact through further development and downstreaming, allowing their benefits to reach a wider community.
This can be pursued through commercialization programs, intellectual property management, and community service initiatives. In this way, students’ creative work can develop into innovations that make a tangible contribution.
“We hope that the innovations qualifying for PIMNAS will not stop at the competition stage, but will also be brought further through commercialization programs, intellectual property initiatives, and community service activities that benefit society,” he explained.
Regarding the competition target, Hempri said that UGM is determined to reclaim the overall championship title at PIMNAS after finishing as runner-up for the past two years. He believes that the 43 teams qualifying this year provide an important foundation for achieving this goal.
He hopes all students will deliver their best performances and bring the Adikarta Kertawidya Trophy back to UGM. This target is also intended to motivate every team member to give their best throughout the competition.
“After finishing as runner-up for the past two years, we believe these 43 teams give us a strong foundation and determination to hopefully win the overall championship and bring the Adikarta Kertawidya Trophy back to UGM,” he said.
In preparing this year’s contingent, the Directorate of Student Affairs also evaluated several factors considered important to students’ performance in the competition. These included presentation techniques, individual preparedness, and team cohesion.
The evaluation focused on strengthening the readiness of the 43 teams, comprising 207 students. Hempri hopes that the evaluations and improvements made will help the students deliver their best performances at the 39th PIMNAS.
“We have evaluated various aspects of preparation, including presentation techniques, students’ individual readiness, and team cohesion. We have used these findings to make improvements so that all 43 teams, comprising 207 students, can perform at their best,” he concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-Editor: Priyananda
Photo: Student Affairs Documentation