Gadjah Mada University


Universitas Gadjah Mada is a public research university located in Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Officially founded on 19 December 1949, Universitas Gadjah Mada is one of the oldest and largest institutions of higher education in the country, and has been credited as one of the best universities in Indonesia. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, UGM is ranked 2nd in Indonesia and 224th in the world.
During the period when native education was often restricted, the institution was the first to open its medicine to native Indonesians when it was founded in the 1940s under Dutch rule.
Comprising 18 faculties and 24 research centers, UGM offers 68 undergraduate, 23 diplomas, 104 master's and specialist, 43 doctorates, and 4 clusters of post-doctoral study programs. The university has enrolled approximately 55,000 students, 1,187 foreign students, and has 2,500 faculty members. UGM maintains a campus of, with facilities that include a stadium and a fitness center.
The university is named after Gajah Mada, the Prime Minister of the Majapahit Empire of Java in the 14th century, who is also considered to be the nation's first unifier by some historians. The spelling of the university's name still reflects the old Dutch-era spelling.
WWW ugm.ac.id𝕏 UGMYogyakartaR/ gadjahmada

History

UGM was the first state university in Indonesia, established as Universiteit Negeri Gadjah Mada when Indonesia was still facing threats from the Netherlands, which wanted to regain control. At the time, the capital of Indonesia was temporarily moved from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.
UGM was established through Government Regulation No. 23 of 1949, regarding the merger of colleges to form a university. Although the regulations were dated 16 December, UGM's inauguration took place on 19 December, intentionally chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the Dutch invasion of Yogyakarta, exactly one year before. The intentional date was meant to show that one year after the Dutch had invaded the city, the Indonesian Government could establish its own national university there.
When it was founded, UGM had six faculties: Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy; Law, Economics, Social and Political Sciences; Engineering; Letters, Pedagogy and Philosophy; Agriculture; and Veterinary Medicine.
From 1952 until 1972, the Faculty of Law, Social and Political Sciences was split into two faculties: the Surabaya branch of the Faculty of Law, Social, and Political Sciences, which was integrated into University of Airlangga; and the Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, which was integrated into IKIP Yogyakarta.
During its initial years of Dutch resistance, the university taught literature and law in the buildings and other facilities belonging to the palace of the Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, who volunteered his palace for the university's use. UGM gradually established a campus of its own in Bulaksumur, on the northern side of Yogyakarta, and now occupies an area of three square kilometres.

Faculties and schools

The UGM main building is called the Balairung, a rectorate building, in Sleman. Nearby is the Grha Sabha Pramana, a large building utilized for graduation ceremonies, with an adjoining square used for sport and recreation. There is also a university library and a sports center, consisting of a stadium, tennis court, and basketball field. More recently, it has established Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas, a 48.760 m2 integrated complex of artistic spaces, green rooftop, and exhibition places.
Most of the main campus is located in Sleman, with the small parts located within Yogyakarta city.
The UGM administration is divided into 18 faculties, offering study programs from the undergraduate to post-doctoral level. There is also a vocational school offering vocational study programmes.

Schools and Faculties

Jakarta Campus

In 2010, UGM established a branch campus in South Jakarta, Jakarta. Initially offering only MBA courses, now the campus also offers Master of Laws, and various Masters in Social and Political Sciences aimed at working professionals.

International Programmes

UGM provides some major programs in English and admits international students. In 2018, 1,334 Asian students, 566 European students, 213 Australian/Oceanian students, 101 North American students, 58 African students, and 12 South American students studied in the 18 faculties of Gadjah Mada University.
Currently, International Undergraduate Programs are being offered in:
  • Faculty of Animal Science
  • Faculty of Biology
  • Faculty of Dentistry
  • Faculty of Economics and Business
  • Faculty of Engineering
  • Faculty of Geography
  • Faculty of Law
  • Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
  • Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing
  • Faculty of Pharmacy
  • Faculty of Psychology
  • Faculty of Social and Political Sciences
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
  • Vocational College
Several faculties such as the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Faculty of Agricultural also offer International/Dual-degree offerings at the Postgraduate level.

Research Centers

UGM has 24 university-level research and study centers:

Achievements

In 2013, UGM's chemistry undergraduate program received accreditation from the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom, the largest European-based international organization devoted to the advancement of chemical science. This is the first international accreditation ever received by the university and was effective from 5 March 2013 to March 2018.
UGM currently has 96 internationally accredited programs, including those accredited by AACSB, ABET, IChemE, ASIIN, KAAB, AUN QA, IABEE, FIBAA and RSC.

Rankings

The university was the highest-ranked school in Indonesia for three consecutive years in the QS World University Rankings. In 2026, it was ranked 224 in the world, this achievement was the highest ranking ever achieved by UGM in QS WUR in the last 16 years. As of 2025, five academic subject clusters-Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management-have consistently ranked second nationally in Indonesia, while Life Sciences & Medicine ranked third.
In 2022, UGM was ranked in the top 10, in 2023 ranked 50 & in 2025 ranked 6 in the world according to Times Higher Education Impact Rankings which uses seventeen criteria of Sustainable Development Goals and UGM leading in seven criteria. In the world overall assessment, UGM was ranked 72 in 2020, ranked 83 in 2021, ranked 87 in 2022 & ranked 82 in 2025.
In 2023 UGM was ranked 280–300 in the world according to QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2023 and also ranking 383 in 2025, 1st in Indonesia. UGM also ranked 1st in Indonesia and Southeast Asia in the Good Governance category.

Subject

QS World University Rankings by Subject
World rankSubject
51 – 100
  • Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies
101 – 150
  • Geography
  • Anthropology
  • Development Studies
    • 151 – 200
  • Archaeology
  • English Language and Literature
  • Modern Languages
  • Agriculture & Forestry
  • Accounting & Finance
  • Politics
    • 201 – 250
  • Architecture & Built Environment
  • Business & Management Studies
  • History
  • Law & Legal Studies
    • 251 – 300
  • Economics & Econometrics
  • Sociology
    • 301 – 350
  • 351 – 400
  • Linguistics
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Education & Training
    • 401 – 450
  • Medicine
    • 451 – 500
  • Computer Science and Information Systems
  • Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering
    • 501 – 550
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Mathematics
    • 551 – 600
  • Biological Sciences
    • 601 – 650
  • Physics & Astronomy
    • SubjectGlobalNational
    207 2
    345 2
    451-500 3
    501-550 2
    199 2

    Student life

    Student orientation

    Every year, UGM welcomes new undergraduate students by holding a one-week student orientation session called PPSMB which involves a short course introducing UGM's common knowledge, values, rules, and soft-skill education. It was named PPSMB Palapa since its inception in 2012, before renamed to PPSMB Pionir in 2023. On the last day of the program, there is a closing ceremony where students make a formation of a symbol or logo. In 2018, the students created a formation called Bersatu Nusantara Indonesia with the Indonesian national flag, to encourage a spirit of unity across differences in the country. In 2023, PPSMB broke a record for featuring ten different formations with just 30 minutes of preparation.

    Community service

    UGM organizes a community service called KKN-PPM, which is obligatory for undergraduate students. KKN-PPM is a research-based community service offered three times each academic year, in the middle of both the odd semester and the even semester, and between these two semesters. KKN-PPM UGM involves not only local students but also international academicians, including lecturers and students. In 2011, 150 international students from countries including South Korea, Australia, France, the United States, and Norway participated in KKN-PPM.

    Other activities

    The Sports Activities Unit is coordinated by the Secretariat of Joint Sports, and the Arts Unit is coordinated by the Joint Secretariat of Arts.
    Sports activities include swimming, diving, inkai karate, kenpō, the Indonesian martial art pencak silat, taekwondo, judo, hockey, soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, athletics, equestrian, bridge, badminton, chess, and tennis.
    Arts activities include Arts Style Yogyakarta, Art Style Surakarta, Balinese dance, creative dance, photography, fine arts, Gamma Band, marching band, β€˜β€™keroncong’’, student choir, theatre, and other arts.
    Other activities include Publisher Student Press Agency, Mapagama, Student Health Unit, Scout, Satmenwa, Cooperative Students "Kopma UGM", and AIESEC.
    Spirituality activities include the Unit of Islamic Spirituality, Unit of Catholic Spirituality, Christian Spirituality Unit, Hindu Spirituality Unit, Buddhism and Spiritual Unit.
    Reasoning activities include the Interdisciplinary Unit of Scientific Reasoning, the Gama Scholar Reasoning Unit, and the English Debating Society.

    Transportation

    There are sepeda kampus services available inside UGM, with 8 stations and 5 substations across the campus. Additionally, intra-campus buses called Trans Gadjah Mada serves as an electric bus service on UGM, managed by UGM's Asset Directorate, which operate 3 electric bus lines with the support of 1 bus for each line, estimated to last 1 round trip of approximately 20 minutes. Using environmentally friendly transportation within the campus environment will speed up and facilitate access to a Green Campus Movement.
    The UGM campus area is also served by Trans Jogja bus stations in several locations, notably near the Faculty of Medicine, Vocational College, and the lecturer's housing in the eastern area.

    Other facilities

    UGM Campus Mosque is a mosque owned by UGM and situated within its campus. It was designed entirely by the students of the UGM Architecture Engineering department. It holds a maximum capacity of 10,000 visitors, making it one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia.
    Madya Stadium, the softball/baseball field, and the tennis courts are located in the valley of UGM. The stadium can be used for football, athletics, hockey, and other activities. These facilities are available to UGM students, staff, and the public.
    The Student Center Hall is used for sports activities such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, and martial arts, and for exhibitions and artistic performances.
    The open field in the valley of UGM can be used for musical performances or other student activities that require a wide open space.
    Some of Gadjah Mada University's inventions are displayed in the University Museum along with the university's collections and memorabilia.
    UGM also has several student dormitories across Yogyakarta.

    Controversies

    Yogyakarta Principles

    The Yogyakarta Principlesβ€”a set of principles outlined in Geneva, Switzerland, which were intended to apply international human rights law guidelines in support of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender peopleβ€”were developed at Gadjah Mada University.
    Islamic and religious groups, and civil prosecutors, attacked the LGBT community as being suspect in "promoting communism or westernization", although the Yogyakarta Principles merely address ending violence, abuse, and discrimination of LGBT people.

    2016 student demonstration

    In 2016, more than 1000 of UGM's students and staff flocked to the university's headquarters for a demonstration that was said to be the biggest after the 1998 national demonstration. The demonstration went peacefully, with no damage reported by the university, although it got a bit heated when the university's rector, Dwikorita Karnawati, claimed that the demonstration was a simulation officially held by UGM. Three factors led to this demonstration: tuition that was deemed too expensive; the university's status as a "state university with corporation status", which led to the tuition fee rate ruling by the university; and to stop the relocation of so-called "bonbin" canteen located between Faculty of Cultural Sciences and Faculty of Psychology.

    2017 sexual assault case

    On 5 November 2018, UGM's student publication body BPPM Balairung through its online portal Balairungpress.com published an article containing the account, from a female student, of an alleged rape she experienced at the hands of a male fellow student while doing a so-called "student work experience" program in Seram Island, Maluku in June 2017. However, on 4 February 2019, UGM announced the case was resolved and claimed it concluded with a rather "peaceful" resolution.
    When learning of the rape allegation, UGM–KKN officials chose not to forward Agni's accusation to the police. Instead, they were skeptical of Agni's account. Regardless, HS was pulled from the KKN program about a week later because he was deemed to be "incompatible" with other KKN participants.
    After Agni returned to Yogyakarta in September 2017, she received a C-grade for the program, apparently in retaliation for the shame her allegation had brought upon an official. Agni then filed a formal complaint about her alleged rape to higher-ranking officials at the university, who raised her grade to A/B but still did not report HS to law enforcement. Instead, the university agreed to pay for the counseling Agni had been seeking to deal with her trauma, as well as requiring HS to go to counseling as well. HS was allowed to take part in another KKN program the semester after the alleged rape, and he is expected to graduate soon.
    UGM spokesperson Iva Ariani confirmed the account as told in Balairungpress.com and says that the university is now taking further steps to investigate the rape allegation. She admitted to Kompas that the case was happened, that UGM has "extraordinary empathy" for the victim and also "concerned" about the incident.

    2024 tuition fee protest

    On 2 May 2024, coinciding with National Education Day, students held a demonstration at UGM's rectorate building that criticized the high tuition fees that did not match the students' financial capabilities. In a statement given by the Coordinator of the UGM Advocacy Forum, Rio Putra Dewanto, it's revealed that a survey conducted on 722 students from the class of 2023, it was found that 511 or 70.7 percent of students felt that the tuition fees set by UGM are too heavy, and 52.1 percent of students urged that it should be reconsidered.
    Vice Rector for Human Resources and Finance, Supriyadi, guarantees that all students can complete their education without having to be constrained by costs. He added that the campus had made a decision letter to assign students as verifiers of tuition determination data in each faculty. In this verification, a team containing students is tasked with re-verifying all data so that tuition determination is more accurate.

    Joko Widodo diploma controversy

    Since 2022, there are several theories regarding the authenticity of diploma belonged to former president Joko Widodo that were issued by UGM. The government has stated numerous times that the accusation against the diploma were hoax.

    Notable alumni

    University rectors

    • Sukadji Ranuwihardjo – Rector of Gadjah Mada University
    • Pratikno – Rector of Gadjah Mada University, current Minister of State Secretariat
    • Ova Emilia – Rector of Gadjah Mada University

    Education

    Economics

    Health

    Law

    Politics and Royalty

    Religion

    Arts and culture

    Science and technology