Students Must Have Social Awareness and Strong Character, Says Minister
Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Mendiktisaintek) Brian Yuliarto has stressed that students should not merely pursue academic success. Students also need to possess leadership skills, social awareness, and strong character to become agents of change.
The message was delivered by Brian online at the opening of the 2026 Pengenalan Kehidupan Kampus Bela Negara (PKKBN) at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta on Monday (10/8). The event also served as a moment to welcome 5,880 new students for the 2026/2027 academic year.
PKKBN 2026 runs for six days until Saturday with the theme ‘Shaping an Innovative Generation with Bela Negara Character and Global Competitiveness for Indonesia Emas 2045.’
Brian said students have an important role in supporting the achievement of the Indonesia Emas 2045 vision. Through the Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and competitiveness.
‘Students have an important role in supporting the achievement of the Indonesia Emas 2045 vision. Therefore, students should not only be oriented towards academic success, but also need to have leadership skills, social awareness, and strong character as agents of change,’ said Brian.
According to him, PKKBN serves as a platform for new students to learn about the values of the Bela Negara Campus while adapting to the environment and academic life at the university.
Rector of UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta Mohamad Irhas Effendi said the 5,880 new students were selected from 65,008 applicants in the 2026 New Student Admission (PMB).
‘You are the chosen ones at UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta, so show that you truly deserve to be students of UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta,’ said Irhas.
This year, UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta also accepted 15 international students through the Wimaya International Scholarship (WIS) from several countries, including Pakistan, Gambia, Tanzania, Timor Leste, Turkmenistan, and Cameroon.
In addition, the campus accepted seven students through the Higher Education Affirmation Programme (ADIK) and 13 students from Papua. This step is part of efforts to expand access and improve educational services.
Irhas emphasised that the value of Bela Negara is the identity of UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta, which forms the basis for implementing the Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi.
‘UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta must not abandon the values inherited from the nation’s fighters. That is why UPN Veteran Yogyakarta uses Bela Negara as the framework for implementing Tridharma activities,’ he said.
Chairman of the Central Board of the UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta Alumni Association Rudiyanto said around 80,000 alumni of the campus have contributed in government, state-owned enterprises, national and multinational private companies, as well as various social fields.
‘UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta alumni currently number around 80,000 people spread across various regions of Indonesia and abroad,’ said Rudiyanto.
The PKKBN 2026 series of activities includes events at faculties and study programmes, outbound and inbound activities, as well as an introduction to the five basic values of Bela Negara. The event concludes with a Student Activity Unit (UKM) festival and a mosaic performance by new students.