Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) conferred degrees upon 2,335 graduates, consisting of 2,028 master’s and 193 doctoral graduates, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, at Grha Sabha Pramana. Among them was Rizky Aflaha, a doctoral graduate from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM), who achieved the distinction of being UGM’s youngest doctoral graduate at the age of 25 years, 10 months, and 1 day. The average age of UGM doctoral graduates is 41 years, 6 months, and 15 days.
With nearly 16 years’ difference from the average, Dr. Aflaha’s achievement was not the result of a formal acceleration program, but rather a combination of strategic planning and scholarship opportunities.
He explained that the key to his success was his participation in the Master’s to Doctorate Education for Outstanding Scholars (PMDSU) program, which he completed after earning his undergraduate degree in seven semesters.
“I finished my master’s degree in one year and the doctoral program in three years. That’s why I earned my degree much earlier than others,” he said on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025.
According to the new graduate, his success in completing his doctoral studies at a young age was largely due to his enrollment in the accelerated track.
His journey as a young researcher was not without challenges. He admitted to being underestimated because of his age.
However, he overcame those doubts through remarkable academic productivity.
“At first, I felt looked down upon because I was so young. However, I gradually began to prove myself capable. Alhamdulillah, from the start of my doctoral studies until today, I’ve produced 40 international publications, even though the graduation requirement is only two,” he shared.
Behind his success, Dr. Aflaha expressed his deepest gratitude to his supervisors, Professor Kuwat Triyana, Professor Roto, and Dr. Aditya Rianjanu, for their invaluable mentorship and guidance.
“They guided me through every stage, from designing a research roadmap and developing the research design to writing international journal articles, and even small details like preparing figures for publication,” he explained.
Far from the stereotype of a “bookworm,” Dr. Aflaha lived a balanced student life. He admitted that good time management was essential for him to stay productive.
“I don’t play online games or spend much time on social media. Instead, I channel my time into other activities, such as badminton, joining student organizations, or hiking in the mountains. In fact, I think people in Yogyakarta probably know me more as a badminton athlete than as a doctoral student,” he said with a laugh.
As a closing remark, Dr. Aflaha emphasized the importance of optimism and self-confidence as the foundation for academic and research success.
“We just need to believe in ourselves. With self-confidence, we’ll gain more opportunities to develop our capacity. On the other hand, no matter how talented we are, without confidence, we won’t go anywhere,” the UGM alumnus concluded.
Author: Aldi Firmansyah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographs: Rizky Aflaha