An alumni gathering event was held at the Tanjung Laut Ballroom, Bintang Sintuk Hotel, Bontang, on Saturday (27/1). The event aimed to advance UGM’s mission and make a positive contribution to Indonesia. It was attended by the Vice Chairman II of the KAGAMA Bontang branch, Fakhrie Wahyudin, UGM’s Director of Academic Studies and Innovation, Dr. Agr. Sc. Ir. Hatma Suryatmojo, S.Hut., M.Si., IPU, and more than 40 KAGAMA Bontang members.
In his opening remarks, Fakhrie Wahyudin expressed his appreciation to UGM for choosing Bontang as the venue for this Focus Group Discussion (FGD). He emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing UGM, a university cherished by all alumni, and hoped that the discussions would benefit both UGM and Indonesia as a whole.
“We deeply appreciate UGM for choosing Bontang for this FGD. We hope today’s discussion will benefit UGM specifically and Indonesia in general. Happy discussing, and let’s work together to advance UGM, a campus we all hold dear,” he said.
Dr. Hatma Suryatmojo, UGM’s Director of Academic Studies and Innovation, also attended the event and shared insights on how alumni can maintain strong engagement with UGM. He discussed strategies for further collaboration between KAGAMA Bontang and UGM, including efforts to enhance the university’s position among the top 500 global universities. Dr. Hatma highlighted UGM’s recent achievements and the critical role alumni play in strengthening UGM’s contributions.
“KAGAMA maintains a strong engagement with UGM, and we will discuss how to collaborate further. We seek alumni contributions and appreciate your time today. I hope this discussion brings valuable insights that will elevate the reputation of UGM, KAGAMA, and Indonesia,” he concluded.
The event continued with discussions on several key topics, including opportunities for local youth to study at UGM, support for unemployed UGM graduates, collaboration with smaller universities, strengthening alumni networks similar to those at ITB, enhancing the KAGAMA membership card, partnerships with other institutions, challenges in recruiting UGM graduates for small enterprises in Bontang, and tips for managing rising education costs so that alumni’s children can follow in their parents’ footsteps and study at UGM. These discussions aligned with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, emphasizing the importance of inter-institutional cooperation and strengthening alumni networks to achieve shared goals in sustainable development.
The enthusiastic discussions are expected to yield solutions and concrete steps to advance UGM and contribute more significantly to society and Indonesia at large. KAGAMA Bontang and UGM are committed to maintaining collaboration and unity in pursuing UGM’s vision and mission as a positively impactful educational institution.
[Alumni Relations: Kamila, Translator: Syahrul, Photo: Dewin]