UMY Celebrates 45th Anniversary, Rector Urges University to Adapt More Quickly to Changing Times

The University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) has reached its 45th anniversary. In his reflection, UMY Rector, Prof. Dr. Achmad Nurmandi, expressed his hope that all elements within the university can respond more quickly to changes and developments in the times.

This was conveyed by Nurmandi during the Open Senate Meeting for the Annual Report of the Rector & the 45th Anniversary Commemoration Speech of the University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta in the Ballroom of the UMY Student Dormitory Building.

“Traditionally, the annual achievements must be reported in an open senate meeting to the public, as a form of accountability to the public,” Nurmandi explained after the event in the Ballroom of the UMY Student Dormitory Building, Saturday (16/5/2026).

In his report, entitled ‘Lead The Change Light The World,’ Nurmandi presented various achievements of UMY over the past year, ranging from organizational and university branding transformations to supporting programs for the university.

“One notable achievement is the increase in our publications. However, we face the challenge of how to ensure that faculty research has a commercial impact and is commercialized by companies, thereby generating financial benefits for UMY,” he said.

In his speech after presenting the annual achievements, Nurmandi affirmed that UMY must become the best university and be able to compete with other major universities.

One thing he emphasized is that all elements of the campus must be able to move faster.

“But Muhammadiyah is not only about having the best ethics, but also about being fast, and this is what is difficult. To be fast, we need cooperation from various parties, because if we are slow, we will be left behind,” Nurmandi said.

“So, we can no longer afford to be complacent in managing a university, because the challenges we face are becoming increasingly difficult. Both in terms of regulations, public demand, and changes in the industrial world, universities must adjust their internal educational processes,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the UMY University Senate, Prof. Dr. Ulung Pribadi, appreciated the annual achievements presented by the UMY Rector. However, there is still work to be done for UMY, which he conveyed in his speech.

“One thing that we must develop in the future is the integration of science and technology with Islamic values. In the future, I think this is what we must continue to develop,” he concluded.