MP Reveals Gruelling Journey to Graduate from Open University

A member of the House of Representatives (DPR) has revealed the difficult journey he faced to graduate from the Master of Management programme at Universitas Terbuka (UT). Muhammad Habibur Rochman, familiarly known as Gus Habib, recounted that his status as a people’s representative did not provide any ease or shortcuts in obtaining his degree. “UT does not look at whether you are an official or who you are; if you do not follow the final process for the thesis or dissertation, you will not graduate,” he said during a press conference for the UT Graduation Ceremony for the 2025/2026 Even Academic Year, Region 2, in South Tangerang on Tuesday. Gus Habib admitted he had to spend up to five years completing his studies amidst his busy schedule of working visits. “The perception people have of UT is that it is a campus where, pardon the expression, it might be easy to graduate. That is not the case at all,” he revealed with a smile. Another graduate, Wayan, testified to the strict graduation standards at UT after being examined directly by the UT Rector. As a bureaucratic official, he felt his scientific and cognitive competencies were truly grilled and tested to the maximum limit without any compromise. The distance learning system at UT, he continued, is highly disciplined with strict assignment submission deadlines. He confessed he had to give up his table tennis hobby after office hours to have free time to read modules and write assignments independently. UT Rector Prof. Ali appreciated the fighting spirit of the graduates, stating, “There is no story where, even after five years and serving as a DPR member, we then pass someone who has not finished. He, Alhamdulillah, graduated even though it was somewhat of a bloody struggle, and graduating means his quality is guaranteed to be the same as others.” This impartial policy reinforces the basic principle of inclusive education at UT, as explained by UT Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Rahmat Budiman, namely the application of a ‘one fits for all’ standard. With this principle, UT ensures there are no loopholes for academic dispensations for students with position or power, so that the degree achieved is purely the fruit of dedication, quality, and hard work.