East Nusa Tenggara Vice Governor Officially Awarded Doctorate with Honours
The Vice Governor of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Johanis Asadoma, has officially been awarded a Doctorate in Public Administration from Nusa Cendana University (Undana) in Kupang, on Thursday, February 26th.
Johanis Asadoma received his doctorate with honours (cum laude) and a Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.95. The conferral was conducted by the Rector of Undana, Jefri Bale, marked by the presentation of the graduation certificate and the awarding of the doctoral degree during an open university senate session.
The degree was awarded after he defended his dissertation entitled “Analysis of Public Policy in the Implementation of Inclusive Digital Information Technology-Based Secondary Education in Kupang City, NTT Province.”
In the previous doctoral promotion session, Johanis was supervised by Alo Liliweri as the main supervisor, with David B.W. Pandie and Melkisedek Neolaka as co-supervisors.
During this graduation period, Undana graduated 2,038 students from various levels of education, ranging from doctoral, master’s, professional, bachelor’s to diploma.
For the doctoral level, there were three graduates, namely Johanis Asadoma (Public Administration, GPA 3.95, honours), Noldy Danny Paul Mumu (Public Administration, GPA 3.87, honours), and Mikson Metraim Daniel Nalle (Animal Husbandry, GPA 4.00, honours).
In addition, the university also appointed nine outstanding graduates from various faculties, namely Patrick Yohanes Meok (GPA 4.00) from FKIP; Ambrosius Fernando Jomas (GPA 3.98) from FKKH, Ryna Febryanti Amalo (GPA 3.97) from FH, Prisila Mita Kurnia Mamo (GPA 3.85) from FE, Yosua Nobrihas (GPA 3.87) from FISIP; Theodorus Vigirius Dwi Putra (GPA 3.85) from FKM, Umbu Yudo Manasye Hanggongu (GPA 3.85) from the Faculty of Agriculture, Rut Riwu Ratu (GPA 3.77) from the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Marine, and Andre Jeusy P.H. Telnoni (GPA 3.71) from the Faculty of Science and Technology.
On this occasion, Johanis, who is affectionately known as Johni, also delivered a speech representing the local government as well as representing the graduates.
In front of thousands of graduates and parents, he emphasized that graduation is not the end, but rather the beginning of a real struggle in the midst of the dynamics of the times.
“Today is not the end of your struggle, but this is the beginning of a journey in life. You are graduating in the middle of a world that is changing very rapidly, technology, economic patterns, to lifestyles,” he said.
According to him, an academic degree is proof of perseverance, discipline, and the realization of parents’ prayers. However, he reminded the graduates not to be carried away by momentary euphoria.
THOUSANDS OF GRADUATES UNEMPLOYED
Openly, the Vice Governor of NTT also highlighted the challenges of the job market. He revealed that currently there are about 7,000 graduates (S1, S2, and S3) in NTT who are still unemployed and looking for work. According to him, graduating from a well-known university and having a high GPA is no longer a single guarantee of success.
“We are not lacking in smart people, theory, or discourse. What we need is a generation that is able to transform knowledge into real solutions to solve community problems,” said Johni.
He explained a number of crucial challenges that still plague NTT, including high poverty rates, low regional productivity, uneven access to clean water, and economic transformation that has not added value.
According to the former Chief of Police of NTT, East Nusa Tenggara has great potential in the agricultural, livestock, marine, tourism, and renewable energy sectors. However, this potential will not develop without innovation and the courage of intellectuals to directly provide solutions.
“NTT needs people who are of integrity, honest, and willing to sacrifice. Undana graduates are not educated to be spectators, but to be agents of change that have an impact on the nation and the country,” he concluded.
CHARACTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION GRADUATES
Meanwhile, the Rector of Undana, Jefri S. Bale, in his speech used a unique metaphor from chess, namely the knight, to describe the character of higher education graduates.
According to him, the knight is a symbol of the ability to overcome stagnation. Unlike other pieces that move in a straight line, the knight has a unique pattern of movement that allows it to jump over obstacles.
“The knight teaches us about innovation and unique ways of thinking that are out of the box. It does not move linearly or in a straight line,” said Jefri.
He explained that in a game of chess, a knight will be very strong if it is in the center of the board because it can control many squares at once. Conversely, the knight will become weak if it only stays in the corner of the board with limited space to move.
Therefore, he advised the alumni not to limit their potential by choosing a safe zone. “Look for the right place. Don’t limit your potential in the corners of comfort. Be in the center of change, in the midst of a challenging community, in a place where your skills can have the greatest impact,” he said.
He concluded his speech by reminding that placing oneself incorrectly will only be a shackle that hinders the contribution of graduates to the progress of the nation.