PALMOILMAGAZINE, YOGYAKARTA — INSTIPER Yogyakarta officially graduated the first cohort of students under the Palm Oil Plantation Human Resources (SDM PKS) Scholarship Program funded by the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) during a graduation ceremony held at the INSTIPER Auditorium on May 22.
A total of 50 scholarship recipients completed their studies under the program. Of these, 26 students graduated from the Palm Oil Plantation Bachelor’s program (SPKS) within the Agrotechnology Department, while another 24 students completed the Plantation Business Management Bachelor’s specialization (SMBP) under the Agribusiness Department.
The students, all from INSTIPER’s Faculty of Agriculture, began their studies in the 2022/2023 academic year and completed their education in an average of 3.7 years.
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During the graduation ceremony, the Rector of INSTIPER Yogyakarta expressed appreciation to the government and BPDP for supporting the development of Indonesia’s palm oil human resources through the scholarship initiative.
The Rector noted that INSTIPER, which has specialized in plantation education since 1958, continues to strengthen the quality of its graduates while adapting to evolving industry demands and technological developments. The institution also maintains strategic partnerships with 141 corporate partners that regularly conduct recruitment programs on campus, creating significant employment opportunities for graduates.
Meanwhile, Director of Downstream Fund Distribution at BPDP, Mohammad Alfansyah, emphasized that the scholarship program represents a long-term government investment in Indonesia’s palm oil sector.
According to Alfansyah, the government expects scholarship recipients not only to graduate successfully but also to contribute directly to the national palm oil industry and generate broader multiplier effects within the sector.
He specifically encouraged young graduates to take an active role in palm oil replanting programs, stressing that plantation rejuvenation efforts should also be accompanied by the involvement of younger generations capable of managing modern plantations.
Alfansyah also advised graduates to remain open-minded in the early stages of their careers and focus on building professional experience rather than being selective about initial job opportunities. He reminded students to always seek blessings and support from their parents throughout their career journey.
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Closing his remarks, Alfansyah encouraged graduates to continue contributing to Indonesia’s development and “never stop loving Indonesia.”
Among the graduates, Dani Iqbal achieved the highest GPA in the Agrotechnology program with a score of 3.93, while Gilberto Silva Lubis earned the top GPA in the Agribusiness program, also with a score of 3.93.
Representing scholarship recipients, Dani Iqbal expressed gratitude to BPDP for providing educational opportunities to children of palm oil farmers and plantation workers.
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He said the scholarship program enabled many students from plantation communities to pursue higher education and improve their future livelihoods. Dani also pledged that graduates would apply the knowledge gained at INSTIPER to support the advancement of Indonesia’s palm oil industry.
Several graduates have already secured employment in palm oil companies even before graduation.
According to the data presented during the ceremony, 56% of graduates have already been employed. Around 36% received “golden ticket” recruitment offers from companies including PT Karyamas, PT Kayan, Sinar Mas, PT Triputra Agro Persada, PT Palma Serasih, and PT Citra Borneo Indah.
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The “golden ticket” scheme allows students to be directly recruited without undergoing standard recruitment tests because they had already demonstrated strong plantation management capabilities during internship programs.
Another 20% of graduates received company recommendations, while 4% plan to continue their studies. The remaining 40% are currently undergoing recruitment selection processes.
Gilberto Silva Lubis, the top graduate from the SMBP specialization, highlighted that scholarship recipients were actively involved not only in academic activities but also in extracurricular and co-curricular programs throughout their studies.
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He explained that students participated in several development programs under the INSTIPER Academy initiative, including INSTIPER Drone Academy, INSTIPER English Academy, INSTIPER AI Academy, and INSTIPER IoT Academy, all of which helped strengthen practical skills relevant to the plantation industry.
Gilberto added that the combination of academic learning and practical skill development has prepared graduates to contribute to national development, particularly in the palm oil sector.
Beyond academics, many scholarship recipients also achieved notable accomplishments at both regional and national levels.
One of them, Tegar Arief Kurniawan, was recognized as INSTIPER Yogyakarta’s top outstanding student and ranked among the Top 9 outstanding students in the Higher Education Service Institution (LLDikti) Region V.
His achievements include winning several scientific writing competitions, such as second place in the national scientific writing competition organized by GAPKI during the 7th Borneo Forum, and second place in the JPTI scientific poster competition hosted by IPB University.
He also participated in the Research and Entrepreneurship Student Creativity Program (PKM RE) organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and became a finalist in an innovation competition organized by BGA. (P3)
