Yogyakarta's private colleges offer quality education

By R. Fadjri

YOGYAKARTA (JP): About 50,000 high school graduates from throughout the country apply for a place at a university in Yogyakarta every academic year. Their first choice is usually the prestigious state-run Gadjah Mada University (UGM).

Not all of them decide to pit themselves against others in the scramble for a coveted place at UGM, where only 13,000 of 30,000 candidates who take the entrance examination are accepted. Many prospective students opt instead for one of the excellent private universities in the city.

Three favored private universities in the area are Atma Jaya University of Yogyakarta (UAJY), Islamic University of Indonesia (UII), and Sanatha Dharma University (USD). Some of the schools at the universities are stronger than others in drawing students.

The School of Economics at UAJY, offering programs in accounting and management, is strongly favored. Enrollment increases markedly each year. Both disciplines are recognized by the government and the school has a complete infrastructure, including a library, laboratory, audiovisual facilities, computer center, a campus publication, language center, and even a research center. Its library is replete with CD-ROMS containing technical information on business and management.

Atma Jaya Yogyakarta is managed by Yayasan Slamet Riyadi (Slamet Riyadi Foundation) which was established in 1965. This school was initially a branch of the Catholic Atma Jaya University in Jakarta, but became independent on Dec. 31, 1973.

The UAJY campus is one of the most comprehensive campuses in Yogyakarta. Today, there are three separate campuses for six schools in economics, biology, law, social sciences, political science, engineering and industrial technology.

UAJY's faculty includes 225 bachelor degree (S1) holders, 200 master's degree holders, 50 staff with doctorates and 150 full professors. UAJY is known for its aggressive efforts to recruit professors retired from UGM.

Sanata Dharma

Many incoming university students also consider Sanata Dharma University (USD), particularly for its English language program.

Dr. Sastrapratedja SJ, the university's rector, said the program aims to teach active comprehension of English to students. Graduates are recruited by foreign companies, the mass media, publications, translating services, tourism, hotel business and language centers, he said.

"We are not able to meet all the requests of various institutions," he added.

To accommodate the overflow of high school graduates who want to study English in the university, USD runs an English Extension Course. Although the program looks like other English language courses, it is a rigorous course with a strict selection process for new students.

USD receives about 8,500 applicants for its bachelor's program annually but accepts only 1,500 students. Its extension program accepts just 207 students.

USD was formerly a Teacher's Training Institute (IKIP) established in 1955. In 1993, it became a university. It has eight schools, including one of theology, and was originally set up for Catholic priests.

Islamic University

The Indonesian Islamic University is another renowned private university. It was established on July 8, 1945 by well-known politicians, including former vice president Muhammad Hatta and Muhammad Natsir, Kahar Mauzakar, Wahid Hasyim and Soekiman Wirjosanjoyo of the Masyumi party. It is the oldest private university in Indonesia and is known for its schools of economics and law.

The School of Economics boasts several laboratories and other faciltiies, including accounting and statistics labs, a computer center, a library, Internet facilities accessible to the public, and an on-line booth of the Jakarta Stock Exchange.

In the 1995/1996 academic year, UII's School of Economics started an international program. In this class, all communication is in English. "We hope UII graduates will be able to communicate at a global level," said Muhammad Mahfud, assistant rector at the university.

Not surprisingly, the ratio of applicants for admission and those accepted to the economics school is 9:1. Up to now it has had the greatest number of students compared to the other seven schools in technology, industrial technology, Syariah (Islamic law), Tarbiyah (Islamic education), mathematics and natural sciences, and psychology.

UII's School of Law is recognized for graduating qualified lawyers and most lawyers in Yogyakarta are graduates of the school.

Like Atma Jaya University, UII has higher tuition fees than many universities. A UII student pays tuition of Rp 1.3 million a year. Additional fees vary in amount among the students.

Most of the students are from the upper-middle class. Few of them apply for the 250 different scholarships provided by the university.

As a center of the arts, Yogyakarta also has the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI). The institute was founded from the merging of the Indonesian Music Academy, the Indonesian Dance Academy and the Indonesian Arts Academy.

The Indonesian Arts Institute has trained many artists in the fields of dance, music and arts. Among them are Abas Alibasyah, Widayat and Fadjar Sidik, and younger ones like Eddie Hara, Heri Dono, Dadang Christanto, Nindityo Adipurnomo and Anusapati, who have gained international reputations.

Candidates for ISI's School of Arts and Design were traditionally from vocational art high schools, but there is now an increasing enrollment from graduates of general high schools. Most graduates of ISI pursue careers in artistic fields.