EduAsiaNews, Jakarta — Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta (UPNVJ) welcomed a visit from the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed., on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The visit was conducted to review the implementation of the Computer-Based Written Examination Center for the National Selection Based on Tests (UTBK-SNBT) at UPNVJ, as well as to attend a work motivation strengthening program for lecturers and educational staff within the university. On this occasion, the Rector of UPNVJ, Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, M.A., Comm., presented the university’s achievements, developments, and strategic direction in strengthening UPNVJ as a State Defense Campus.
The Minister’s arrival was warmly received by Prof. Venus along with members of the university leadership. The visit marked an important momentum for UPNVJ to demonstrate its readiness in administering national selection services, its institutional progress, and its commitment to fostering an adaptive, professional, and quality-oriented work culture.
In his opening remarks at the work motivation strengthening session, Prof. Venus explained that UPNVJ has strong historical roots, as it was established by veterans. This history has shaped UPNVJ’s identity as a higher education institution that upholds the values of state defense in the implementation of education, research, community service, and university governance.
“We have even formulated the State Defense Implementation Index (IIBN). We have also undertaken various concrete initiatives, such as publishing 20 books on Non-Military State Defense and implementing state defense actualization programs,” said Prof. Venus.
According to Prof. Venus, the concept of state defense at UPNVJ continues to be reoriented and examined to remain relevant in the context of modern higher education. These values are not only understood in terms of national defense but are also translated into discipline, responsibility, integrity, academic contribution, and concern for national interests.
The Rector also noted that many members of the public are not yet fully aware of UPNVJ’s development since it attained the status of a State University (PTN). Since this transformation, UPNVJ has experienced significant growth in various areas, including a substantial increase in the number of applicants.
“After becoming a state university, the number of applicants reached 94,000, while only 5,408 students were admitted. This year, two of our study programs are among the most competitive in the SNBP track, namely the Undergraduate Program in Film, Television, and Media Studies and the Undergraduate Program in Pharmacy,” he explained.
In addition to the high level of applicant interest, Prof. Venus highlighted that UPNVJ has achieved competitive academic performance at the national level. Based on the highest national average UTBK-SNBT scores, UPNVJ ranked ninth with a score of 627. The Undergraduate Program in Communication Science at UPNVJ is also among the 20 most sought-after study programs in Indonesia, attracting 3,728 applicants.
Before the Minister, Prof. Venus also elaborated on UPNVJ’s internationalization strategy. In terms of knowledge production, UPNVJ actively promotes joint research, international publications, international conferences, and global collaborations. In terms of academic mobility, the university develops joint degree programs, adjunct professor schemes, faculty exchanges, international student admissions, and student exchange programs.
Meanwhile, in terms of standards and recognition, UPNVJ continues to strengthen international accreditation, international certification, and its position in global rankings. These efforts form part of the university’s strategy to expand academic networks, enhance graduate competitiveness, and strengthen UPNVJ’s contributions at both national and international levels.
UPNVJ has also achieved various institutional accomplishments, including second place in the 2024 Key Performance Indicators (IKU) among Public Service Agency (BLU) state universities, an “Excellent” predicate in the 2024 Simkatmawa Document assessment, and seventh place with an “Informative” qualification in the 2025 Public Information Disclosure ranking.
The Minister’s visit to UPNVJ provided a strategic platform to strengthen communication between the government and higher education institutions in improving the quality of educational services. For UPNVJ, this momentum also reaffirmed that strengthening academic quality, public services, internationalization, and the actualization of state defense values remain integral to the university’s strategic direction under the leadership of Prof. Venus.(www.upnvj.ac.id)
