Purwokerto – Universitas Terbuka (UT) Purwokerto officially inaugurated the Pencak Silat Achievement Student Activity Unit (UKM) on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at the UT Purwokerto Building. This inauguration is a tangible step to reinforce the university’s commitment to preserving culture and developing student achievement potential in traditional martial arts. The event was held solemnly and attended by all academicians and strategic partners from the sports world, signifying broad support for this talent development initiative.
Fully supported by Djasthel Silat Prestasi Purwokerto as the main sponsor, the establishment of this UKM provides a platform for students interested in traditional martial arts who also wish to contribute to preserving the nation’s cultural heritage.
The inauguration was conducted by Muhammad Pariyun, S.H., Person in Charge of Student Affairs at UT Purwokerto. In his remarks, he emphasized that the UKM is expected to be not only a place for physical training but also a means of forming students’ mental resilience and character. Furthermore, this UKM can simultaneously instill discipline and sportsmanship.
The first executive board of the UKM is led by Mega Nurluffatul Farah as chairperson, with Febri Maulana serving as secretary. The organization’s basecamp is located at the Universitas Terbuka Purwokerto Building, while training activities will be held at the Harapan Mulia Orphanage Sports Hall, which also serves as the Djasthel Silat Prestasi Training Center.
Through the presence of the Pencak Silat Achievement UKM, UT Purwokerto hopes students can hone their skills and compete in various regional and national championships. More importantly, the UKM is expected to be a platform for the regeneration of young athletes who uphold sportsmanship and a love for Indonesian culture.
The status of Pencak Silat as a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage is an honor that demands the responsibility of continuous preservation from the nation’s succeeding generation. Universitas Terbuka (UT) Purwokerto, through Distance Learning (PTTJJ), ensures that all its students have boundless space to develop their interests, talents, and character formation.
The campus’s initiative to preserve this heritage is integrated into the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
SDG 4 (Quality Education): UT’s commitment to providing inclusive education and student empowerment directly supports this goal.
SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The focus on preserving cultural values is an important contribution to this goal.
With the presence of the Pencak Silat Achievement UKM, Universitas Terbuka Purwokerto reaffirms its role as a university that focuses not only on academics but also on forming a generation of learners who are character-driven, culturally aware, and high-achieving. Through the spirit of learning beyond boundaries, UT continues to open spaces for students to grow into resilient individuals who uphold the values of knowledge and nationhood.
