A strong sense of pride filled Universitas Islam Malang (UNISMA) on Saturday (June 21) as 715 students were officially conferred their degrees during the 76th Graduation Ceremony of 2025, held on campus. The graduates completed programs at the Bachelor’s, Professional, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees.
The Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Cooperation, dr. Hj. Erna Sulistyowati, M.Kes., Ph.D., stated that the largest number of graduates came from the Faculty of Economics and Business with 225 students, followed by the Faculty of Engineering with 86 students and the Faculty of Medicine with 86 students.
According to Erna, today’s university graduates face increasingly tough challenges, as the unemployment rate, including among bachelor’s degree holders, remains relatively high.
“We believe that UNISMA graduates are able to compete through their competence and creativity. They are capable of creating jobs, not just seeking them. The knowledge and skills they have gained during their studies will serve as valuable capital for achieving success,” she emphasized.
She added that UNISMA is currently moving toward becoming an entrepreneurial university. Academic activities are designed to align with entrepreneurial values. Students not only take entrepreneurship courses but also receive training and opportunities to participate in competitions.
“Many of our students have achieved remarkable accomplishments. Some have even won first place and secured grants of up to IDR 40 million. Today, many of our students already run their own business ventures,” she continued.
In addition, UNISMA is preparing to become a World Class University by 2027. Several academic programs have adopted international standards, including partnerships with overseas industries to provide international internship placements for students.
Stories from the Top Graduates
Pride also comes from the university’s top graduates. Sania Putri Cahyaningrum, S.Pd., who achieved a perfect GPA of 4.00 and was named the best graduate at the university level from the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program (PBSI), described UNISMA as a campus that consistently prepares professional and high-integrity graduates.
“The lecturers are not only competent but also friendly, open-minded, and communicative. They guide students with a humanistic approach while maintaining academic quality and discipline,” Sania shared.
Sania also talked about her experience participating in an International Teaching and Community Service Program (PPL/KKN) in Thailand, where she taught Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) as well as English at a local school.
“Teaching in a multicultural environment required creativity, patience, and cross-cultural communication skills. This experience made me feel like a cultural ambassador for Indonesia while strengthening my competence as a future global educator,” she explained.
Another outstanding graduate, Nur’arofah, S.Ak., who also earned a GPA of 4.00 and comes from South Sumatra, expressed her appreciation for the valuable experience she gained through the entrepreneurship course.
“This course is very important because it equips students with entrepreneurial skills before entering the workforce. It also fosters independence so that graduates are not solely dependent on existing job opportunities,” she said.
