Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) reaffirmed its commitment as an impactful higher education institution through various strategic achievements presented during the peak ceremony of the 2026 UNY Dies Natalis. The anniversary momentum served not only as a space for institutional reflection but also as an affirmation of UNY’s transformation direction in strengthening higher education, innovation, and the development of Indonesia’s high-quality human resources.

The peak dies natalis ceremony, held at the Auditorium on Thursday (May 21, 2026), was attended by the Vice Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Paduka Paku Alam X, Sleman Regent Harda Kiswaya, representatives from prospective UNY PSDKU regions, leaders of higher education institutions in Yogyakarta, members of the UNY academic community, partners, and invited guests.

In the dies natalis speech titled “Optimizing Achievement to Realize an Impactful UNY”, delivered by Suyadi Pawiro, Acting Deputy for Sports Industry Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora), on behalf of the Minister of Youth and Sports, it was emphasized that sports are not merely a field of competition but also a representation of national dignity. The government is currently strengthening sports development through the drafting of a new Presidential Regulation concerning the National Sports Grand Design (DBON), expanding priority Olympic sports from 14 to 21 disciplines, while also strengthening Paralympic sports in preparation for the 2026 Asian Para Games and the 2028 Paralympic Games.

Higher education institutions are considered to play a strategic role in supporting the ecosystem of elite sports achievement, particularly through research, innovation, sports laboratories, and the development of professional sports personnel. “UNY, through the Faculty of Sports Science and Health (FIKK), has contributed to the development of sport science through education, research, and science- and technology-based athlete performance analysis,” said Suyadi Pawiro.

Meanwhile, in remarks from the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, delivered virtually by Dr. Beny Bandanadjaja, Director of Learning and Student Affairs at the Directorate General of Higher Education, it was stated that this year’s dies natalis theme strongly reflects a contextual commitment aligned with the macro direction of national higher education reform. “The benchmark of higher education success has fundamentally shifted. Universities are now required to transform into institutions that truly create impact,” Beny explained. This means that every step taken by higher education institutions must provide concrete benefits to society, act as catalysts for industry, serve as the upstream driver of science and technology development, and ultimately contribute to strengthening national competitiveness on the global stage.

UNY Rector, Prof. Sumaryanto, in his report, outlined various strategic achievements attained by the university. These accomplishments include 62.09% of UNY’s 153 study programs (from applied bachelor’s to doctoral levels) receiving Excellent Accreditation status in 2026, while 35 study programs have obtained international accreditation. In terms of student achievement, 113 students gained international recognition in academic reasoning, sports, arts, and special interests, while 276 students achieved recognition at the national level across these fields. UNY also recorded 611 scientific outputs, including intellectual property rights (IPR), national journal publications, and publications in reputable Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) indexed journals. This year, UNY further strengthened collaboration through partnerships with 798 domestic business partners and 36 international business partners.

This year’s dies natalis celebration also honored outstanding lecturers and students. I Wayan Adyasa, M.Eng. won first place in the Outstanding Lecturer category for Assistant Professor, Dr. Deni Dwi Hartanto won first place in the Lecturer category, Endah Retnowati, Ph.D. secured first place in the Associate Professor category, and Prof. Muhammad Nursa’ban won first place in the Professor category. Among students, Nosi Anggara earned first place as Outstanding Undergraduate Student, Fitria Oktariani as Outstanding Vocational Student, and Kuswantoro as Outstanding Student with Disabilities. Meanwhile, the UNY 40-Year Appreciation Award was presented to Prof. Sulis Triyono and Prof. Endang Rini Sukamti.

In line with the spirit of sustainable development, various initiatives and achievements highlighted during this dies natalis celebration also contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) through improving higher education quality, SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through strengthening outstanding talent, SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) through innovation and research development, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through enhanced collaboration with various stakeholders.