The Doctoral Program in Biotechnology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) successfully conducted the 2025 Sarasehan event, themed “Reflecting on 2024 and Embracing a New Spirit for 2025.” Doctoral biotechnology students from all cohorts attended the occasion, as did Dr. Tri Rini Nuringtyas, Head of the Doctoral Program in Biotechnology. This meeting aims to foster a sense of social connection and academic bonding among the students.
Dr. Tri Rini Nuringtyas delivered an introductory speech and explained the objective of the Sarasehan. Each student then introduced themselves and presented their ongoing research topics, facilitating information sharing and a collaborative environment within the program. Dr. Nuringtyas’ talk included smart recommendations along with strategies to assist students complete their courses on time. She underlined the need of keeping an active presence on campus to improve the academic environment and stimulate intellectual engagement. She also discussed the numerous co-working spaces accessible to doctoral students, such as specific spaces for Doctoral Biotechnology students, combined co-working spaces for Master’s and Doctoral Biotechnology students, and the UGM Postgraduate co-working space. These facilities are intended to help students with writing, studying, and collaborative research. Dr. Nuringtyas also mentioned numerous planned programs to help students and professionals advance their careers. Notable among these are the forthcoming bioinformatics workshop concentrating on genomes and transcriptomics data processing, as well as financing help for foreign seminar participation, which is available to all students.
A noteworthy accomplishment revealed during the occasion was the recent success in obtaining a Transnational Education (TNE) grant in conjunction with the University of Dundee, UK. This collaboration will result in a variety of academic events and initiatives in the near future, providing students with more learning opportunities and foreign exposure. In keeping with the program’s dedication to international collaboration, Dr. Nuringtyas announced that two PhD students, Fatimah and Aprillia, would shortly begin a student mobility program at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) in Japan. This opportunity demonstrates the program’s commitment to promoting worldwide research networks and academic success.
The program also included an interactive discussion session to solicit comments and recommendations from students. Many students expressed concerns about laboratory facilities, to which Dr. Nuringtyas reacted by stating that these comments will be discussed with the administration of the Graduate School and the Biotechnology Research Center at UGM. Updates and comments to these recommendations will be shared on the program’s official website.
The Sarasehan closed with a revitalized feeling of purpose and passion among the doctorate students, establishing a positive tone for the upcoming academic year. The Doctoral Program in Biotechnology remains devoted to providing complete support to its students, creating an atmosphere favorable to prompt graduation and meaningful research outputs.