Yogyakarta, July 02nd 2025 – The Master of Higher Education Management (MMPT) Study Program of the Postgraduate School, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), successfully held MMPT-Talks#10 titled “DAAD Info Session: Master, Doctoral, and Post-doc Scholarship Information” online this Wednesday. This event attracted UGM civitas academica, ranging from S1 students planning to pursue master’s degrees, postgraduate students, young lecturers, to education staff, to explore study opportunities in Germany. Guided by Dr.rer.nat. Wahyu Supartono as Moderator, the session featured representatives from the DAAD Office Jakarta and two DAAD alumni currently working at UGM.
Dwi Novaldi Purbowo, DAAD Programme Officer for Scholarship, opened the session by explaining the various scholarship schemes offered by DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst). DAAD is fully committed in facilitating students and researchers from all over the world, including Indonesia, in pursuing higher education and research in Germany. The available scholarships cover Master, Doctoral, and Post-doc levels, widely opening opportunities for UGM civitas academica to directly experience Germany’s renowned excellent and innovative academic environment. This opportunity is hoped to be utilized as much as possible for self-capacity building and contribution to the advancement of science in Indonesia.
Prof. Dr.phil. Hermin Indah Wahyuni, a DAAD Alumni from Leipzig Universität and a lecturer at the Department of Communication Science, Fisipol UGM, shared her study experience in Germany from Winter Semester 2001 to February 2006. She pursued her studies in Historisch und Systematische Kommunikationswissenschaft (History and Systemic Communication Science) with a DAAD scholarship. Leipzig University itself is the second oldest university in Germany, founded in 1409, with famous alumni such as Goethe and Angela Merkel.
Prof. Hermin emphasized two important aspects of study preparation: finding target universities by sending proposals to many German universities and building communication with prospective professors, as well as applying for scholarships where the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) is crucial. The advantage of a DAAD scholarship, according to her, is the opportunity to study within the unique German academic culture, especially in social sciences, which allows for deep understanding from the original language. Intensive German language preparation for a year at the Goethe Institut Jakarta and Dresden was also a key factor. The doctoral study atmosphere in Germany is characterized by the colloquium system and strong independent learning, supported by very adequate library facilities.
Anggoro Cahyo Sukartiko, Ph.D., a DAAD Alumni from Georg-August University Goettingen and a lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Industrial Technology UGM, shared his experience pursuing the International PhD Program for Agricultural Sciences (IPAG) from 2009 to 2012. He detailed study preparations which included initial communication with his supervisor, lecture planning, refinement of his research proposal, and work environment orientation such as language deepening, lab access, and IT support.
In academic activities, Anggoro highlighted annual progress reports, as well as areas of methodology, expert knowledge, and soft skills. The research and dissertation writing process required weekly to semester planning, time management, resource allocation, and solid teamwork with his supervisor, colleagues, and lab assistants. He also emphasized the importance of peer review for the substance and language of the dissertation. Furthermore, various supporting activities such as industrial excursions, international seminars, and data analysis training were an integral part of the learning experience in Germany. According to Anggoro, the keys to success are independence, discipline, commitment, responsibility, openness to criticism, and perseverance.
This MMPT-Talks#10 reaffirms the commitment of the Master of Higher Education Management Study Program UGM in preparing human resources academically excellent and ready to compete on a global scale. The sharing session from DAAD and its alumni provides a real picture of the opportunities, preparations, and adaptations needed to obtain scholarships for studying in Germany. It is hoped that through such activities, more UGM civitas academica will be motivated and facilitated to pursue further studies, bringing back valuable knowledge and experience for the advancement of higher education in Indonesia.
Author: Berlian Belasuni
Photo: Doc. MMPT SPs UGM Study Program