A total of 1,580 Universitas Terbuka (UT) Surabaya students attended the graduation ceremony for the Even Semester of the 2024/2025 Academic Year at Airlangga Convention Center, Surabaya, on Sunday (May 4, 2025). These graduates came from the operational area of UT Surabaya, which covers almost a third of East Java Province. 

The Vice-Rector for Finance, Resources, and General Affairs of UT, Prof. Dr. Ali Muktiyanto, S.E., M.Si., described the graduation moment as phenomenal. He emphasized that the old paradigm of UT being easy to enter but difficult to graduate from with low grades is now disproven. 

“The old paradigm about studying at UT being easy to get into but hard to get out of, with low grades, is no longer relevant,” said Prof. Ali. He mentioned that many UT graduates have successfully graduated with near-perfect GPAs, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. “This proves that anyone who understands UT’s distance education system well can succeed and compete with quality,” he stated. 

The Director of UT Surabaya, Dr. Suparti, M.Pd., added that graduation is optional. Students can collect their diplomas without having to attend the graduation ceremony, and there is no fee for collection, which can be done approximately two weeks after the graduation. 

Dr. Suparti also highlighted the achievement of one graduate, Mas Belin, who has completed nine study programs at UT, proving extraordinary consistency and commitment. “This is proof that even though studying at UT is known to be challenging, if done seriously, one can succeed even repeatedly,” said the Director of UT Surabaya. 

“UT allows anyone to learn independently—those with economic, physical, or time limitations can still study as long as they are high school graduates or equivalent,” she said. 

Dr. Suparti also reminded the graduates of the importance of being prepared to face digital transformation and personal financial management. This message was conveyed in a pre-graduation seminar to equip the graduates to be resilient in the world of work and real life. 

Registration for new students at UT Surabaya is open from May to August. With a flexible system and affordable fees, UT invites the wider community, including workers and those in remote areas, to continue their higher education without having to leave their primary activities.