University of Indonesia

The University of Indonesia (UI; Indonesian: Universitas Indonesia) is a public university in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of the oldest tertiary-level educational institutions in Indonesia (known as the Dutch East Indies when UI was established), and is generally considered one of the most prestigious universities in Indonesia, along with the Gadjah Mada University and Bandung Institute of Technology. In the 2024 QS World Universities Ranking, UI is ranked 1st in Indonesia, 49th in Asia and 237th in the world.

History

UI's origins date back to the School of Health Sciences and Vaccines (Opleiding van eleves voor de genees-en helkunde en vaccine) on 2 January 1849 based on a decree from the Governor of the Dutch East Indies. At that time, the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies established a school to train medical assistants. Training lasted for two years, and the graduates were certified to perform basic medicine. Those graduates were awarded the title Javanese Doctor (Dokter Jawa) and were authorised to practice only within the Dutch East Indies, especially Java. The program became more comprehensive; in 1864 it was expanded to three years, and by 1875 it had reached seven years and the graduates were entitled to the degree of Medical Doctor.

The next step came in 1898, when the Dutch East Indies government established a new school to train medical doctors, named STOVIA (School tot Opleiding van Inlandsche Artsen). A school building was opened in March 1902, in a building that is now the Museum of National Awakening. The prerequisite to enter STOVIA was roughly the equivalent of a junior high school diploma. The schooling took nine years, so it was a mix between high school and university education. Education at STOVIA lasted for 9 years: 3 years at junior high school level, three years at high school level, and three years at diploma level. Many STOVIA graduates later played important roles in Indonesia's national movement toward independence, as well in developing medical education in Indonesia.

In 1924, the colonial government decided to open a new tertiary-level educational facility, the RHS (Rechts Hogeschool), to train civilian officers and servants. The RHS would later evolve into the Faculty of Law. In 1927, STOVIA's status was changed to that of a full tertiary-level institution and its name was changed to GHS (Geneeskundige Hogeschool). The GHS occupied the same main building and used the same teaching hospital as the current Faculty of Medicine. Many GHS alumni would later play roles in establishing the University of Indonesia.

After Indonesia gained independence, the Indonesian Institute for Higher Education (BPTRI) was established on 19 August 1945 in Jakarta. BPTRI had two faculties (then called colleges), namely the College of Medicine and the College of Law/Letters. The chairman of BPTRI was Prof dr Sarwono Prawirohardjo. The College of Medicine was officially opened on 1 October 1945. The institute produced its first 90 graduate students as medical doctors in the same year. When the Dutch colonial army occupied Jakarta in late 1945, the BPTRI moved to Klaten, Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Malang. In 21 June 1946, the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA) established the Nood Universiteit or Emergency University at Jakarta. In 1947, the name was changed to Universiteit van Indonesië (UvI) or Universitas Indonesia. Following the Indonesian National Revolution, the government established a state university in Jakarta in February 1950. The name was Universiteit Indonesia, comprising the BPTRI units and the former UvI, which was later changed into Universiteit Indonesia (UI).

Universiteit Indonesia officially started its activities on 2 February 1950 with its first president (now renamed to rector) Ir. R.M. Pandji Soerachman Tjokroadisoerio. The office of the President of Universiteit Indonesia was initially based in Jakarta, precisely in the Faculty of Medicine building on Jl. Salemba Raya no. 6, then moved to one of the former madat factory buildings on Jl. Salemba Raya no. 4, Jakarta. 2 February 1950 was later made the birthday of Universitas Indonesia. Initially, UI was a multi-campus university, with faculties in Jakarta (Medicine, Law, and Letters), Bogor (Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine), Bandung (Engineering, Mathematics and Natural Sciences), Surabaya (Medicine and Dentistry), and Makassar (Economics and Law). The Surabaya campus became the University of Airlangga in 1954. In the following year, the Makassar campus became the University of Hasanuddin.

In 1955, Law No. 10 on the change of the words universiteit, universitet, and universitit was passed, so since then, Universiteit Indonesia was officially renamed Universitas Indonesia.

In 1959, the Bandung campus became the Bandung Institute of Technology. The School for Physical Education, which was also in Bandung, became part of Padjadjaran University in 1960. In 1964, the Bogor campus became the Bogor Agricultural Institute and the Faculty of Teaching and Education in Jakarta became the Institute of Teaching and Education (now the State University of Jakarta). By 1965, UI consisted of three campuses, all in Jakarta: Salemba (Medicine, Dentistry, Economics, Engineering, Science and the Graduate School), Rawamangun (Letters, Law, Social Science and Psychology) and Pegangsaan (Public Health and parts of Medicine). In 1987, several faculties from the Salemba and Rawamangun campuses moved to a newly built campus in the outskirts of Jakarta. The campus in southern Jakarta is known as the Depok campus (it is in the city of Depok).

In the year 2007–2008, Universitas Indonesia underwent substantial reform. Revenue was significantly increased from 800 billion to 1.6 trillion rupiah. The number of research publications has increased. This is also the case with the university's endowment fund.

According to the 2008 survey of Globe Asia, UI ranked number first among the top universities in Indonesia. This report has been supported by a leading Indonesian magazine Tempo, which carried out a survey and analysis to rank universities and education in Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia has improved its research collaboration with international partners.

In August 2008, the university won the Indonesia ICT award for the smart campus with best content and application. In terms of accessibility and connectivity, Universitas Indonesia has won an award because 90% of the university's area is covered by IT infrastructure and services with its 305 Mbit/s. connection to the Internet, and its 155 Mbit/s. connection to the Indonesia Higher Education Research Network (Inherent).

Logo and philosophy

The earliest form of the logo of Universitas Indonesia was created in 1952 by Sumaxtono (a.k.a. Sumartono), a student from the 1951 Art Department class, Faculty of Engineering, at the time known as the Fakulteit Teknik Universiteit Indonesia, in Bandung.

The logo is the kala-makara, a symbol of the two sources of energy in nature. Kala is the energy from above (the power of the sun), while makara represents the energy from below (the power of the Earth). The two powers are combined and stylized into a symbol that represents the function of Universitas Indonesia as a source of knowledge.

The logo of Universitas Indonesia carries the following interpretation:

• The tree, which includes the buds and the branches, represents science and its branches, implying that the buds will soon flourish and turn into new branches of science. The buds will continue to blossom as long as the main tree is alive. By this, Sumaxtono intended to state that the branches of science will continuously grow.
• Water pouring down from the makara signifies the works of science.

The logo design and the meaning it carried were presented to Srihadi (a student from the 1952 class from the same department) in 1952. Prof. KRHT H. Srihadi Soedarsono Adhikoesoemo, M.A. who created the logo of Bandung Institute of Technology, was not sure who authenticated this logo or when. He was sure, however, that it was printed on the cover of the book Universiteit Indonesia, Fakulteit Teknik, Bandung: Rentjana Untuk Tahun Peladjaran 1952-1953 (Universitas Indonesia, Faculty of Engineering, Bandung: Course Plans for Academic Years 1952–1953), published by AID, Bandung, 120 pages, using the original design by Sumaxtono (without the pentagonal border). Each department / faculty has its own color scheme for the logo, for example: red for the Faculty of Law, blue for the Faculty of Engineering, blue-red for the Faculty of Computer Science, and sky blue for the Faculty of Psychology.

Campuses

Salemba Campus

The Salemba campus, located in Central Jakarta, is dedicated mostly to the faculties of Medicine and Dentistry. It adjoins with Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital (RSCM) as well as the University Dental Hospital. It houses parts of the postgraduate program, the Faculty of Law (Master of Law Science and Law Science Doctoral Program), Faculty of Economics (Extension and Master of Management programs), the School of Environmental Science (Master of Environmental Science and Environmental Science Doctoral Program), and the Faculty of Engineering (laboratories).