26 generals inducted at graduation ceremony

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of the almost 1,400 students in Open University's graduation ceremony at its Ciputat campus on Tuesday stood out; if not by their uniforms, then most definitely by their crew cuts.

They were members of the Armed Forces (ABRI) who have taken advantage of the degree programs offered by the state-run college.

Twenty-six of them were senior ranking officers. They include Rear Admiral Roesdi Roesli, Rear Admiral Sumartono, Rear Admiral TNI Soegiono, Rear Marshal Zainal Abidin and Rear Marshal Udin Kurniadi, all of whom received economic degrees.

The others include Maj. Gen Ismail, Maj. Gen. Sutahan, Rear Admiral Anwar Affandi, Maj. Gen. (Marine) M.A. Tambunan and Rear Marshal Dadi Sukardi. They obtained degrees in state administration.

In addition, there were 60 middle-ranking officers among the new economic graduates and 35 among state administration graduates.

Open University Rector Prof. Dr. B. Suprapto Brotosiswoyoat presided over the ceremony to induct the 1,367 new graduates at the university's campus.

The university, founded in 1984, conducts its lectures and tutoring by means of television and correspondence. Its programs are chiefly geared towards working adults intending to further their studies without giving up their jobs.

The university, however, has also struck up an agreement with the Ministry of Defense to provide courses for middle and senior ranking officers.

Rector Suprapto said the university is now preparing to organize post-graduate programs.

It is also re-orienting its study programs in order to produce ready-to-work graduates, meaning that some social studies could be phased out. (emb)