UMS Graduates 2,259 Students, Rector Stresses Knowledge Must Bear Fruit in Real Work and Benefit

Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) held an Open Senate Session for the Graduation Ceremony of its Undergraduate, Master's, and Doctoral Programs, Period I of the 2026/2027 Academic Year, at the K.H. Ahmad Dahlan Edutorium Building, UMS, Friday (25/9/2026).

A total of 2,259 graduates took part in this period's graduation procession, consisting of 2,132 Bachelor's (S1) graduates, 113 Master's (S2) graduates, and 14 Doctoral (S3) graduates. Of that number, 729 graduates earned cum laude honors, and 452 graduates completed their studies through the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) pathway.

UMS Rector Prof. Dr. Harun Joko Prayitno, M.Hum., stated in his remarks that graduation isn't the end of the academic journey, but the beginning for graduates to step into real life and take on a role within society.

"Today we receive our degrees, tomorrow we prove our worth. And throughout our lives, we must always deliver benefit," he stressed.

According to him, the academic degrees graduates have earned shouldn't merely be an addition to their names, but should become an addition to their role and responsibility in society and in their respective professional fields.

The Rector urged graduates to carry the knowledge they gained during their studies at UMS and turn it into tangible work that delivers benefit. He summed up this message in three words: Ilmu, Amal, and Manfaat (Knowledge, Action, and Benefit, or IMAM).

"Take the knowledge from UMS, turn it into real work, and make sure your work delivers benefit," he said.

The Rector also reminded graduates that the world doesn't just need smart people, it needs people who have both knowledge and integrity. UMS graduates, he said, are expected to be individuals whose presence brings a positive impact to society.

He noted that UMS graduates can contribute through a wide range of professions, from teachers, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and bureaucrats to researchers, advocates, and beyond.

"Be people whose presence makes the community around them better, more beneficial, and more dignified," he said.

In his remarks, the Rector also shared a number of UMS's developments at the national and international level. UMS currently offers 86 study programs, spanning doctoral, master's, professional, and undergraduate levels.

In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, UMS was recorded in the 1,201st position band worldwide. Meanwhile, in the THE Impact Rankings 2026, UMS placed in the 401st band worldwide out of 1,603 higher education institutions.

UMS also recorded an improvement in the UI GreenMetric 2026 ranking, rising from 74th to 48th nationally.

In research, the Rector noted that UMS pioneered the establishment of the Rispro LPDP PTMA Berkemajuan research program, as one of the universities with the highest number of proposals submitted in Indonesia.

According to him, these various achievements shouldn't be seen only in terms of numbers, but as the result of collaboration across the entire academic community, from lecturers, students, and education staff to leadership and alumni.

"I encourage you to run a long distance together, not sprint alone," he said.

Closing his remarks, the UMS Rector once again urged graduates to uphold their alma mater's good name, to keep learning, and to be able to adapt to a changing world, including the ongoing development of artificial intelligence, which continues to influence the way people work.

"Today we receive our degrees, tomorrow we prove our worth. And throughout our lives, we must always deliver benefit," he stressed.

In the academic report delivered by UMS Vice Rector I, Prof. Ihwan Susila, S.E., M.Si., Ph.D., of the 2,259 graduates, 2,052 people, or 90.88 percent, came from the Java region, while 207 people, or 9.17 percent, came from outside Java.

Meanwhile, 1,582 graduates, or 70.03 percent, came from Central Java, and 677 people, or 29.97 percent, came from outside Central Java.

With the addition of 2,259 graduates this period, the total number of UMS graduates over 67 years has reached 184,020 people, covering graduates of the Diploma (D-III), Bachelor's, Professional, Master's, and Doctoral programs.

The graduates' message was delivered by Arief Surya Adi, an Accounting (S1) graduate with a GPA of 3.97 and the top graduate at the faculty level. He urged fellow graduates to see graduation as the beginning of taking on a broader role in society.

Arief said that his journey as a student didn't just provide academic knowledge and skills, but also shaped a sense of responsibility, the ability to work with others, and resilience in facing failure and challenges.

He also reminded graduates that the knowledge gained during their studies at UMS shouldn't stop at personal achievement, but should be turned into contributions to society, while still holding onto Islamic and Muhammadiyah values.

Arief himself has a number of achievements at the international level, including a silver medal at the World Young Inventors Exhibition 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; a silver medal at the Japan Design Idea Invention Expo 2024 in Tokyo, Japan; a silver medal at the International Intellectual Property, Invention, Innovation and Technology Exposition 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand; a gold medal at the International Intellectual Property, Invention, Innovation and Technology Exposition 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand; and a silver medal at the World Young Inventors Exhibition 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Writer: Fika Annisa Sholihah

Editor: Maysali Sudarwati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid