8,000 New USK Aceh Students Undergo Academic and Character Development

Approximately 8,000 new students at Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) in Aceh are participating in the university’s Academic and Character Development programme for new students (Pakarmaru) for the 2026 intake. The opening ceremony was held solemnly at the USK Mini Stadium on Monday (10/8).

This orientation is expected to serve as a momentum to reinforce USK’s vision of producing graduates who are not only academically excellent but also possess strong, positive character and high integrity.

In his address, USK Rector Professor Mirza Tabrani stated that Pakarmaru marks the starting point of a transformation from being a student to becoming an intellectual. He noted that becoming a university student is not merely about continuing education, but about entering a phase of life that demands maturity, independence, and integrity. Prof Mirza advised the new students to make the most of their four years on campus to balance intellectual ability with character building. “At USK, we do not only want to produce academically intelligent graduates, but also individuals with strong character, high integrity, and broad benefit to society,” he said.

He further encouraged students to become active and solution-oriented agents of change, given the dynamic challenges of the era, including technological disruption and various global changes. “The world you are entering today is a world that is constantly changing. Therefore, do not just be users of change. Be creators of change,” the Rector urged.

Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Entrepreneurship, Rina Suryani Oktari, stated that Pakarmaru 2026 is the largest student orientation activity within the university environment. The programme at the state university level will run from 10 to 13 August 2026 in a hybrid format (online and offline) and will be broadcast live via the Universitas Syiah Kuala YouTube channel. The series of activities will then continue at the faculty and study programme levels on 14–15 August.

Rina Suryani Oktari expressed hope that this orientation process would be the first step in building character, an academic culture, and a strong sense of belonging to USK for the 8,000 students pursuing their studies. She also advised new students to make the most of this momentum to get to know the campus environment and understand its values.