Yogyakarta — The Graduate School of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (SPs UNY), together with the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Transportation (BPSDM Kemenhub), discussed strengthening their collaboration in human resource development through education and training. The meeting took place on Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Executive Meeting Room on the second floor of the Imam Bernadib Building at SPs UNY.

The meeting, which began at 9:00 a.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB), was attended by the Director of SPs UNY, the Deputy Directors, study program leaders, and the International Affairs and Partnership Unit (UUIK) team. Representing BPSDM Kemenhub were Ibnu Romadhona, S.T., M.Sc., Head of the Planning Division for State Civil Apparatus Competency Development; Wahid Mahmudi, S.E., MS.ASM, Head of the Civil Servant Competency Development Program Team; and Policy Technical Reviewers Cinthya M. Agustina and Hilmi Wiko F. The meeting provided an opportunity for both parties to align their cooperation priorities with the need to improve human resource competencies within the Ministry of Transportation.

The meeting formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions, particularly in supporting human resource competency development through higher education. Discussions also focused on aligning competency development needs with the academic programs offered by SPs UNY.

Postgraduate Education Aligned with Professional Needs

During the meeting, SPs UNY presented updates on educational programs for students from the Ministry of Transportation. Lectures in the Doctoral Program in Research and Educational Evaluation (PEP) through the Distance Learning Program (PJJ) have now entered their second week.

Prof. Dr. Edy Supriyadi, Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in PEP, explained that the program was designed to help students complete their studies efficiently and on time. Students are guided toward completing their studies within the planned timeframe while acquiring competencies relevant to their professional needs.

One area receiving particular attention is the use of machine learning in data analysis. This competency is expected not only to support students’ academic work and completion of their studies but also to help address data-driven challenges in their professional environments.

Meanwhile, lectures in the Master’s Program in Technology and Vocational Education (PTK) through the Distance Learning Program (PJJ) have also reached their second session. Dr. phil. Rahmatul Irfan, S.T., M.T., Coordinator of the Master’s Program in PTK, explained that students are beginning to identify thesis research topics relevant to their academic backgrounds and professional fields.

This approach allows students to pursue research by building on topics they have previously explored or by selecting new topics that remain relevant to their work. In this way, postgraduate education can contribute directly to the development of students’ professional competencies.

Competency Development Beyond the Classroom

In addition to formal master’s and doctoral education, SPs UNY offers various competency development programs that complement students’ learning experiences. These include webinars, training sessions, and other academic activities that can be tailored to participants’ capacity-building needs.

This was an important aspect of the discussion with BPSDM Kemenhub, particularly regarding competencies that support professional responsibilities. Data analysis skills and the use of various analytical tools were among the competencies highlighted during the meeting.

The Director of SPs UNY emphasized the importance of designing postgraduate education effectively so that students can complete their studies within the expected timeframe without unnecessary delays. Effective academic planning is expected not only to produce graduates with higher academic qualifications but also to equip them with competencies relevant to institutional needs.

SPs UNY also expressed its openness to developing evaluation-related activities as part of the collaboration. Experiences, challenges, and needs arising from professional duties can be examined academically to generate evidence-based recommendations and improvements.

Toward More Integrated Collaboration

The discussion then focused on strengthening the scope of the partnership as outlined in the Cooperation Agreement (PKS). Both parties explored various aspects of collaboration to ensure that its implementation would deliver tangible benefits for human resource development.

The partnership is intended to extend beyond formal education to include competency development through various academic activities and training programs. Integrating education, competency development, research, and institutional needs is an important element in building sustainable cooperation.

Through this collaboration, SPs UNY and BPSDM Kemenhub are expected to continue expanding opportunities for synergy in developing human resources with both strong academic qualifications and professional competencies aligned with workplace demands.

The partnership also represents a strategic step toward connecting SPs UNY’s academic strengths with the Ministry of Transportation’s human resource development needs. Through sustained collaboration, postgraduate education is expected to serve not only as a pathway to higher qualifications but also as part of a broader process of competency transformation and organizational improvement.