New graduate students at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FH UGM), attended their inaugural lecture on Saturday (30/7). In her report, Linda Yanti Sulistiawati, S.H., M.Sc., Ph.D., Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, stated that nearly 400 graduate students had been admitted for the 2016/2017 academic year. They were enrolled across six master's programs and one doctoral program.
This year's inaugural lecture carried the theme “Strengthening the Integrity of Graduate Students to Build a Pancasila-Based Legal Culture.” The public lecture featured three speakers with expertise in their respective fields, who shared their perspectives with FH UGM's graduate students.
Prof. Dr. Kaelan, M.S., expressed concern that Indonesia's legal system had yet to fully engage with the country's legal culture. By legal culture, he referred to the values embodied in Pancasila. The Professor at UGM's Faculty of Philosophy highlighted several aspects of positive law that he considered inconsistent with the nation's foundational values. He therefore encouraged graduate students to develop a value-based approach to law that can be applied across various aspects of social life.
Prof. Boy Mardjono Reksodiputro, S.H., M.A., then invited participants to discuss the role of universities in educating students to reject corrupt practices. The Professor at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia, introduced the Poznan Declaration, which emphasizes the importance of ethics and anti-corruption education in higher education. In line with the declaration, he argued that universities must first uphold integrity within their own institutions in order to cultivate an anti-corruption culture. “Let us start with our own households,” he said.
The importance of integrity was further emphasized by legal practitioner Dr. Albertina Ho, S.H., M.H. According to her, integrity is a fundamental requirement for leadership. “A leader must ensure that what they say is reflected in what they do,” she emphasized. (Lita)
