TANGERANG SELATAN, 4 August 2026 – What happens when a 62-year-old man who has worked as a nurse and accountant and already holds a master’s degree decides to become a university student again? For Josrin Glover Sihotang, the answer is simple: learning has no expiration date.
Rather than stopping his pursuit of knowledge later in life, Josrin has taken on a new challenge. He is now enrolled in the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Law at Universitas Terbuka (UT) Bandar Lampung. While working as a freelance consultant for hospitals, he decided to return to university after encountering various legal issues in his professional work that he wanted to understand more deeply.
His professional experience ultimately became the reason behind his decision to return to university. In providing consultations at hospitals, he frequently encountered issues related to law. His desire to understand these matters more comprehensively eventually led him to pursue UT’s Bachelor’s Degree Program in Law.
Josrin’s determination became one of the stories that attracted attention during the New Student Study Orientation (OSMB), Distance Learning Skills Training (PKBJJ), Examination Clinic (KU), and Assignment Workshop (WT) Stage II, held at the UT Bandar Lampung Hall on Sunday (2/8/2026).
More than simply attending the orientation, Josrin’s presence demonstrated that opportunities to pursue higher education are not limited by age. This message also reinforces UT’s commitment to providing quality education that can be accessed by anyone, anytime, and anywhere.
Representing the Director of UT Bandar Lampung, Manager of Learning, Student Affairs, and Alumni Dr. Welli Yuliatmoko, S.TP., M.Si., emphasized that OSMB serves as an initial step for new students to become familiar with UT’s distance learning system.
To prepare students for this learning model, UT Bandar Lampung introduced not only its learning system but also various services designed to support students throughout their academic journey. A total of 401 new students from various study programs, including students registered through Sentra Layanan Universitas Terbuka (SALUT) and independent students, participated in OSMB and PKBJJ Stage II.
During the event, new students received information about UT Bandar Lampung, its learning system, academic services, and strategies for successfully completing their studies. They were also introduced to various platforms and applications used for online learning, including e-learning platforms, the UT mobile application, and other digital learning resources.
For Josrin, however, flexibility alone is not enough. The opportunity to study must be accompanied by genuine commitment. He encouraged new students to study seriously, develop strong skills, and strive to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) above 3.00.
His advice comes from his experience observing recruitment processes at several companies, where GPA is still used as one of the mandatory requirements for applicants. Therefore, he believes students should make the most of their university experience to build both professional competencies and academic achievements.
Josrin’s story demonstrates that education has no age limit. As long as there is curiosity and a desire to grow, there is always an opportunity to begin a new chapter. Through its flexible distance learning system, Universitas Terbuka continues to provide opportunities for people from all backgrounds to learn, contribute, and pursue their aspirations without being limited by age, time, or location.
This spirit is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on Quality Education, which promotes inclusive and quality education as well as lifelong learning opportunities. Through its flexible distance learning system, UT continues to expand access to higher education for people from diverse backgrounds, regardless of age, time, or location.
At UT, age is not a reason to stop learning. As long as there is a desire to grow, there is always room to open a book again and begin a new chapter of the journey.
