Klaten, September 26th 2025 – The Tourism Studies Doctoral Study Program (DKP) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has taken a strategic step to ensure the quality and acceleration of its students’ learning with the “PhD Day 2025” event. The two-day event, held on Thursday and Friday (September 25th – 26th 2025), held at Joglo Tumiyono in Bayat, Klaten, offering a focused atmosphere far from the hustle and bustle of the campus. Attended by approximately 70 participants, consisting of doctoral students and supervising professors (promoters), the event was designed as a comprehensive platform for monitoring and evaluating (monev) the progress of the students’ studies. In his opening remarks, the Chief of the Tourism Studies Doctoral Study Program at UGM stated that PhD Day is a crucial agenda for maintaining educational quality amidst the ever-changing dynamics of global tourism. “The tourism industry demands relevant innovation and scientific contributions. Through this event, we want to ensure that every student progresses following their timeline and produces high-quality and impactful dissertation research,” he stated at opening the event on Thursday morning.
According to him, this intensive monitoring is essential for identifying potential academic and non-academic obstacles encountered by students. This will allow the study program to provide targeted interventions and support, ensuring a smoother and more effective study process. The agenda for PhD Day 2025 was arranged to be dense and comprehensive. The first day focused on study progress monitoring sessions, where each student presented their developments to lecturers and peers. Participants were also provided with insights through a Workshop on Doctoral Academic Education Guidelines.
The atmosphere grew warmer during a social gathering night held at the UGM Geology Station lodging, strengthening the relationship of students, lecturers, and program managers as one big family of DKP UGM. Entering the second day, the agenda continued with equally important sessions: a Workshop on Final Project Recognition (RTA) and a Discussion on Strengthening the Alumni Network. These sessions aimed to provide strategic guidance for students on scientific publication and to build strong connections with alumni for future career prospects.
Through PhD Day 2025, the UGM Doctoral Study Program in Tourism Studies targets three main outcomes:
- The mapping of problems and needs encountered by students and their promoters.
- The creation of strategic recommendations for improving the curriculum and supervision system.
- The establishment of a systematic and evidence-based database of student study progress.
“We hope that after this event, students will return with renewed enthusiasm and a clearer roadmap for their studies. Ultimately, our goal is to produce doctoral graduates in tourism who graduate on time and are also competitive, innovative, and ready to contribute to the advancement of tourism in Indonesia,” concluded the Chief of the Study Program in the closing session.
Author: Berlian Belasuni