The Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) Graduate School welcomed a benchmarking visit from the Graduate Program of Universitas Trunojoyo Madura University (PPs UTM) on Tuesday (October 21st). The visit aimed to strengthen academic governance, funding innovation, and graduate program development within higher education institutions.

The delegation was received by Prof. Dr. Siswantoyo, M. Kes., AIFO, Director of the UNY Graduate School, who warmly welcomed the UTM representatives and introduced the UNY leadership team. In his remarks, Prof. Siswantoyo expressed UNY Graduate School’s readiness to engage in meaningful discussions and share experiences related to managing graduate-level programs effectively.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Bambang Haryadi, S.E., M.Si.Ak., Director of UTM’s Graduate Program, conveyed his gratitude for the warm reception from UNY Graduate School. He emphasized that the visit was part of UTM’s continuous efforts to learn and adopt best practices from UNY’s Graduate School, particularly in academic management and the development of study programs that are adaptive to the demands of the times.

Following the opening session, both institutions participated in an in-depth discussion. From UTM’s side, Dr. Rina Yulianti, S.H., M.H., Deputy Director for Finance, Administration, and Cooperation, raised key points regarding UNY Graduate Schools’ innovative funding models, non-governmental research collaboration opportunities, and evaluation mechanisms for existing partnerships. She also inquired about the information systems used at UNY, especially data integration at the central level.

Additionally, Ira Fatmawati, S.S., M.Pd., Coordinator of the Master Program in Primary Education, explored topics related to curriculum structure, course concentration systems, and academic internship mechanisms implemented at SPs UNY.

Responding to these inquiries, Prof. Dr. Dyah Kumalasari, M.Pd., Vice Director for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Research, and Collaboration, provided a comprehensive explanation of curriculum development models, partnership management, and UNY’s strategies for optimizing alternative funding sources to support academic and research activities.

Her presentation was further supported by Dr. Shely Cathrin, M.Phil., Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Alumni of the Faculty of Education (FIP UNY), and Dr. Sekar Purbarini K., M.Pd., Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Primary Education (FIP UNY). Both shared insights on the implementation of academic internships, research collaboration, and inter-program networking.

The benchmarking activity served not only as a platform for knowledge and experience sharing but also as an opportunity to strengthen institutional ties between UNY Graduate School and PPs UTM. The fruitful discussions are expected to inspire both institutions in developing high-quality, collaborative, and socially relevant graduate programs aligned with scientific and technological advancements.