PALMOILMAGAZINE, YOGYAKARTA – The Institute of Plantation Agriculture (INSTIPER) Yogyakarta held its 84th Undergraduate and 30th Postgraduate Graduation Ceremony on Saturday (May 31) at GRHA INSTIPER, conferring degrees on 331 graduates. This included 19 graduates from the Master’s in Plantation Management program and 312 Bachelor’s graduates from the Faculties of Agriculture, Agricultural Technology, and Forestry.
Of the total, 145 graduates (34%) earned cum laude honors. Additionally, 80 students were scholarship recipients supported by various organizations, including PT Asian Agri (8), PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper/RAPP (40), the Indonesia Smart College (KIP Kuliah) program (11), PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro/BGA (13), PT Toba Pulp Lestari/TPL (4), and the South Nias Regional Government (4).
In his commencement speech, INSTIPER Rector Dr. Harsawardana emphasized the institution’s commitment to aligning with technological advances and industry demands. “We’ve designed our curriculum in collaboration with industry partners from the plantation and forestry sectors to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world practice. INSTIPER has adopted the Impactful Curriculum 2025, in line with directives from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology,” he said, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com on Monday (June 2, 2025).
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He also highlighted INSTIPER’s efforts to equip students with digital and technical skills through both academic courses and co-curricular programs such as the Instiper Drone Academy, Robotic Academy, and other specialized academies.
According to Harsawardana, INSTIPER graduates continue to show strong employability. “The average waiting period for our graduates to enter the workforce is just six months. In fact, 20% of this cohort had already secured jobs within a month of their graduation approval,” he noted.
INSTIPER’s postgraduate program in Plantation Management is also attracting professionals from the industry. “Many of our Master’s graduates currently hold positions as senior assistants, estate managers, general managers, or even directors. This offers new graduates a golden opportunity to gain deeper knowledge and expand their professional networks,” he added.
Top honors for the undergraduate program went to Armin Dwi Rifa’i, SP., from the Faculty of Agriculture, who earned a GPA of 3.92 and has already been hired by PT Musim Mas. For the Master’s program, Ardian Wahyu Febianto, S.P., M.Si. achieved the highest distinction with a perfect GPA of 4.00 and completed his studies in just 1.5 years.
Armin, originally from Temanggung, expressed his pride in graduating from INSTIPER. “I’m grateful and proud to be part of the INSTIPER family. I gained invaluable academic experiences and strong support from the faculty,” he said. Coming from a non-palm oil region, Armin was inspired by his parents’ involvement in the palm oil industry to pursue a degree in the Palm Oil Plantation Program (SPKS).
The ceremony was also attended by representatives of INSTIPER’s industry partners. Agus Sutrisno, Head of Human Capital and OSM Group at PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro, praised INSTIPER as a key partner in talent development. “INSTIPER students who intern with us through the MSIB program can receive a ‘golden ticket’ for full-time employment, provided they meet our criteria,” he explained.
Bumantara Gani, Director of Talent Management at PT RAPP, echoed this sentiment. “For the past 14 years, we have entrusted our scholarships to students from INSTIPER’s Faculty of Forestry. We actively monitor and evaluate their academic progress in collaboration with the university,” he said. (P2)
