On Thursday, August 21, 2025, the Master of Science and Doctoral Program (MD) of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in collaboration with BPJS Kesehatan (Indonesian Health Insurance Agency) held a public lecture entitled “The Development of BPJS Kesehatan in the Era of Global Economic Uncertainty & BPJS Kesehatan’s Strategy in This Era.” The lecture featured Prof. Dr. Ali Ghufron Mukti, M.Sc., Ph.D. (President Director of BPJS Kesehatan) as the keynote speaker, moderated by Dr. Novat Pugo Sambodo, a lecturer in the Department of Management Science, FEB UGM. This eventwas held offline from 09:00-11:00 WIB in the BRI Auditorium, 3rd Floor, Master of Science and Doctoral Building, FEB UGM.

On this occasion, Prof. Ali Ghufron Mukti explained that BPJS Kesehatan faces various challenges amidst global economic uncertainty, ranging from fluctuating macroeconomic conditions, fiscal risks due to increasing healthcare financing burdens, to the challenge of maintaining service quality with a growing number of participants. He emphasized that this situation requires BPJS Kesehatan to remain adaptive and innovative in maintaining financial stability while ensuring equitable and equitable services for all Indonesians. He further outlined several BPJS Kesehatan achievements, including the successful expansion of JKN (National Health Insurance) coverage, which now covers almost the entire population, the implementation of service digitalization to improve efficiency, and increased participant satisfaction through technology-based service innovations.

This public lecture also featured an interactive session, where participants had the opportunity to ask direct questions regarding BPJS Kesehatan’s challenges and strategies. The discussion was dynamic, addressing current issues such as health insurance financing mechanisms, digital-based service transformation, and efforts to strengthen collaboration with various stakeholders. The event concluded with an in-depth discussion between the speakers and participants, which enriched their understanding of BPJS Kesehatan’s role in maintaining the sustainability of the national health system amidst global uncertainty. Through this public lecture, it is hoped that students and academics from the Faculty of Economics and Business, Gadjah Mada University (UGM) will gain strategic insights into the challenges and opportunities in managing national health insurance.

On Friday, August 15, 2025, the Master of Science and Doctoral Program (MD) at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a workshop on the compelling topic “Transfer Modality and Domestic Violence: Evidence from Indonesia’s Food Assistance Reform.” The workshop featured Dhanie Nugroho (Research Assistant, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University) as the keynote speaker. The event was moderated by Muhammad Ryan Sanjaya, S.E., MEDEC., Ph.D., a lecturer in the Department of Economics, FEB UGM. The event took place offline from 10:00-11:30 a.m. WIB in the Lippo Room, 2nd Floor of the Master of Science and Doctoral Building, FEB UGM.

In his presentation, Dhanie Nugroho addressed the crucial question of whether social assistance can reduce domestic violence and the most effective forms of assistance in this context. This discussion presented new evidence from Indonesia’s Food Assistance Reform, which has not been widely explored in academic research.

During the question and answer session, participants actively shared their views and questions, which were then directly addressed by the speakers with research-based explanations. The event concluded with a group photo session.

On August 14–16th, 2025, the Master of Science and Doctoral Program (MD) at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM) held the Researcher’s Enrichment Program (REACH) 2025, attended by new MD Program students. This activity was designed to introduce the vision, mission, values, and academic culture of FEB UGM while strengthening bonds among students through collaborative activities and self-development.

The first day’s agenda, held in the Master of Science and Doctoral Building, began with an introduction to the vision, mission, and values ​​of FEB UGM by the administrators, followed by an explanation of the curriculum, and an introduction to the student organizations Forkomsi and IMADEBGAMA. The next session included a seminar on UGM’s philosophy by Dr. Heri Santoso, S.S., M.Hum., which provided a deep understanding of UGM’s identity as a people’s university while instilling the values ​​of integrity, scholarship, and social benefit in new students.

The second day, held at Kali Boyong Camp, began with morning exercises and fun games to foster a sense of togetherness. The event then continued with remarks from the program manager and a presentation from MD FEB UGM alumnus, Brian Gregory Adhihendra, S.E., M.Sc., who shared his academic and professional experiences during his studies. Next, participants attended an introductory session on Jogja’s customs and manners, delivered by Dr. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, M.Hum., who explained the cultural insights of Yogyakarta. The second day’s series of activities concluded with academic communication games presented by Tur Nastiti, M.Si., Ph.D., and Indrianingsih, S.Psi., aimed at improving students’ academic communication skills in an interactive setting.

Through these activities, new MD FEB UGM students not only gained an understanding of UGM’s academic culture and values, but also built networks, skills, and a sense of community that will be crucial for their studies

The Master of Science and Doctoral Program at FEB UGM held a guest lecture titled “Statistics Applied on Health Economics”, featuring Dr. Maria Garcia Reyes, Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of York, UK. The lecture took place in person at the Bakrie Room, 2nd Floor of the MD FEB UGM Building, and was open to both the academic community and the general public interested in health economics.

During the two-hour session, Dr. Garcia Reyes presented two main subtopics: “Introduction to Health Economics” and “The Effect of Income on Health Expenditures.” The lecture aimed to provide a foundational understanding of how economic approaches can be used to analyze health-related issues, and how statistics serve as a crucial tool in data-driven policy-making.

Dr. Garcia Reyes explained that health economics is a field that studies how resources are allocated for healthcare services and how economic factors, such as income, influence individual and household decisions in spending on health. She emphasized the importance of data analysis and statistical methods in measuring the relationship between income levels and public health expenditures.

Using panel data and quantitative methods, researchers can evaluate whether increased income genuinely improves access to quality healthcare or instead widens existing disparities. The lecture also highlighted the importance of inclusive and evidence-based policies in ensuring efficiency and equity within healthcare systems.

This guest lecture reaffirmed FEB UGM’s commitment to delivering contextual and globally relevant education. Participants expressed great enthusiasm and responded positively to the interdisciplinary insights presented, as they offered practical perspectives on how economics can contribute to addressing public health issues in Indonesia and globally.

From Tuesday to Thursday, April 22–25, 2025, the Master of Science and Doctoral (MD) Program at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), held a guest lecture titled “Artificial Intelligence in Management”, featuring Dr. Harald Puhr, M.Sc., M.I.M., Assistant Professor from the University of Innsbruck, Austria, as the keynote speaker.

The guest lecture took place offline over three days in the Bakrie Room, 2nd floor of the Master of Science and Doctoral Building at FEB UGM. Each day was divided into two sessions: a morning session from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM and an afternoon session from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM.

Each lecture began with an interactive quiz to gauge the audience’s initial understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI), followed by a brief presentation of Dr. Puhr’s academic and professional background.

In his presentation, Dr. Puhr thoroughly explained the basic concepts of Artificial Intelligence and its potential applications in a management context. AI was introduced as a branch of computer science aimed at developing intelligent systems capable of performing tasks like humans. One of its subfields, Machine Learning, focuses on developing algorithms that can learn from data.

The second day’s session focused more on the application of AI, particularly in relation to data bias. Dr. Puhr emphasized that the output of generative technologies like AI heavily depends on the datasets used, which can potentially introduce certain biases.

On the final day, students deepened their understanding through hands-on practice based on what they had learned. This activity aimed to enhance students’ comprehension of how AI can be utilized in the field of management. Throughout the sessions, participants demonstrated high enthusiasm, as shown by their active participation in discussions and Q&A sessions. The lectures concluded with a group photo session.

The Master of Science and Doctoral Program of FEB UGM held a graduation celebration at the BRI Auditorium, 3rd Floor, Master of Science and Doctoral Building, FEB UGM. Behind the cap and the happy smiles of the graduates of the Master of Science and Doctoral programs at FEB UGM, there is a touching story of struggle. One of them is Rizki Oktavianto, a graduate of the Master of Science in Accounting program, who represented his fellow graduates in delivering the commencement speech.

On Saturday, April 26, 2025, the Master of Science and Doctoral (MD) Program of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), once again organized a field study activity by visiting Kirana Agro Wisata, an innovative agrotourism destination located in the Borobudur area, Magelang. The event was attended by Master of Science students, Doctoral Program students, academic staff, and administrators of the MD Program FEB UGM, including Dr. Sahid Susilo Nugroho, M.Sc.

The activity aimed to enrich participants’ insights into modern agribusiness management while strengthening the integration between the academic theories learned in the classroom and real-world practices in the field.

The visit began with a presentation session by Prof. Wihana Kirana Jaya, who is also the founder of Kirana Agro Wisata. During this session, Prof. Wihana shared his inspiring experiences in building and developing a plantation business, as well as providing insights into the concepts of democratic economy, sustainability, and circular economy. The session was highly interactive, with participants showing great enthusiasm. Many actively asked questions and offered critical ideas, all warmly welcomed by Prof. Wihana. As an appreciation, each participant who contributed to the discussion received a book authored by him.

Through this session, participants gained valuable insights into the importance of adaptive strategies and sustainable practices in the agribusiness sector, equipping them with broader perspectives for their future endeavors.

Following the discussion session, the activity continued with a tour of the durian plantation area, which is one of the main highlights of Kirana Agro Wisata. Participants had the opportunity to directly observe various types of durian plants being cultivated while listening to detailed explanations about the characteristics of each plant type, as well as information regarding planting times and harvest schedules. This hands-on experience added significant value, as participants were able to witness the real-world implementation of agribusiness theories.

The sense of togetherness grew stronger as all participants enjoyed fresh young coconuts and shared a lunch amidst the lush and cool atmosphere of the Borobudur area. A relaxed and friendly atmosphere was evident as participants chatted, took photos, and simply enjoyed the fresh air in the open garden.

To conclude the event, all participants and program administrators captured this precious moment with a group photo, marking the end of a day filled with learning, inspiration, and camaraderie.

Through this field study activity, the MD Program of FEB UGM remains committed to providing holistic learning experiences for students, bridging academic theory with real-world challenges and opportunities in the industry.