FMIPA UGM Holds Postgraduate Graduation Ceremony for Period I of the 2026/2027 Academic Year
The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FMIPA UGM) held a Postgraduate Graduation Ceremony for Period I of the Academic Year 2026/2027 at the Herman Johannes Auditorium of FMIPA UGM. In this period, FMIPA UGM officially turned out 131 graduates, consisting of 105 master’s program graduates and 26 doctoral program graduates. Out of the total graduates, 71 successfully attained the cum laude distinction.
In his remarks, the Dean of FMIPA UGM, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mhd. Reza M.I. Pulungan, S.Si., M.Sc., expressed his gratitude for the graduates’ success in getting through their challenging academic journeys. He reminded them that a postgraduate degree is a major privilege, given that only about 8.5% of the Indonesian population has access to higher education, which brings about a moral responsibility to serve the community and the nation.
Prof. Reza elaborated on the philosophy of the alma mater as a nourishing mother that nurtures and equips alumni like arrows ready to be shot forward, while ensuring that the university’s doors will always remain warmly open to welcome them back. Furthermore, he urged the graduates to practice a rigorous scientific ethos by avoiding confirmation bias through the courage to falsify their own ideas. He emphasized that integrity is the ultimate foundation that must be upheld above knowledge itself.
A perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.00 was achieved by three graduates: Arifia Pratiwi Nugraheni (Master in Physics), Maulana Ihsan Ahmad (Master in Computer Science), and Dr. Devi Nurtiyasari (Doctor in Mathematics).
Special milestones were also set up by Reynard Pradhitya as the youngest master’s graduate (22 years and 7 months), Buky Wahyu Pratama as the youngest doctoral graduate (31 years), Novantio Bangun Hermawan as the fastest master’s graduate (1 year and 1 month), and Anwar Santoso as the fastest doctoral graduate (2 years and 5 months), who also stood out as the fastest doctoral graduate university-wide at Universitas Gadjah Mada.
Reflective messages were also put forward by student representatives. The doctoral graduate representative, Devi Nurtiyasari, noted that the graduation moment, which coincided with Youth Pledge Day (Hari Sumpah Pemuda), serves as a reminder to take on new responsibilities of service, where the PhD journey tested not only their intellect but also their physical and mental resilience.
On the other hand, the master’s graduate representative, Maulana Ihsan Ahmad, reminded UGM graduates not to become an “ivory tower” detached from societal realities. He called upon his peers to leverage scientific integrity to address the challenges of technological disruption, artificial intelligence, and environmental crises while holding onto the principle of being “locally rooted, globally respected.”
This event also reflects FMIPA UGM’s contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by strengthening higher education and advancing science-based human resource development. The spirit of service highlighted during the graduation ceremony also aligns with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, as well as SDG 13: Climate Action, by pushing for graduates to utilize science and innovation to tackle technological and environmental challenges in society.
Author: Inna Mutifah
Photographer: Afiandina Sukma