This morning, August 14, 2019, UPH Rector symbolically inaugurated UPH new students in UPH Festival. This year, UPH welcomes 4,145 students who will start studying at all UPH campuses: Lippo Village, Plaza Semanggi-Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan. These new students are spread across 13 faculties and 68 study programs. This year students came from 34 provinces in Indonesia and there were 195 students from 30 countries, including Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, China, the Philippines, Thailand, and many other countries.

UPH offers transformative holistic education to prepare graduates who are not only competent in science but also have good character, based on the vision and mission of true knowledge, faith in Christ and noble character. This was instilled in all UPH new students since first entering the campus world.

Spiritual reflection is the beginning of students’ preparation to be ready to go through the learning process at the UPH campus. Stephen Metcalfe, UPH’s Sports Department Director, was straightforwardly conveyed, who has been involved in coaching students for more than 20 years, especially in the sports department.

He encouraged students to want to be formed in the learning process. For this reason, there are three important things students must have, namely, courage, integrity, and character. Courage is the courage to take risks, and dare to face challenges. Integrity means to do the right thing. You do this by asking for advice from experienced people, re-analyzing all the understanding you have before entering the campus world, and finally synchronizing between thoughts and feelings. The last one, character, is the moral value that you have. Character is the final product of integrity and courage.

With these three things students are expected to become graduates who are in line with the purpose of education at UPH.

“On this campus you will meet tough challenges. It must be so, because I want you, when you graduate from here, to become a different person and do a transformative work,” he said.

While the UPH Rector, Dr. (Hon) Jonathan L. Parapak, M.Eng.Sc., voiced a similar vision – he advised new students to be able to use their study time at UPH as a means of significant growth.

“Being a UPH citizen means understanding UPH’s vision. Here, we learn true knowledge, grow in faith, and have a godly character. You will be formed as a reliable professional leader to build the nation and country,” he said.

Grow and transform – this message is always echoed to all UPH students. Especially this year, to coincide with UPH’s 25th Anniversary, UPH is also renewing its commitment to increasingly become a significant part in the development and direction of Indonesia’s growth going forward. This is realized by the existence of holistic learning, which focuses on the experience of working directly in the field.

After being welcomed through convocation, the new students will continue the UPH Festival activities through the Distinguished Guest Speaker session, faculty and study programs’ introduction , Founders’ 5K Fun Run, and the closing of UPH Festival on August 17, 2019, with a lively Human Configuration performance. Hopefully, UPH Festival will be the first step that can take new students towards transformative campus life and produce the leaders who shape the country’s future.