EduAsiaNews, Jakarta – Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta (UPNVJ) conferred degrees upon 1,944 graduates at its 77th Graduation Ceremony for Diploma, Undergraduate, Master’s, and Professional Programs for the 2025/2026 Academic Year on Saturday (September 12, 2026).a Addressing the graduates, UPNVJ Rector Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, M.A., Comm., emphasized the importance of building knowledge sovereignty in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), so that graduates do not merely become technology users but are able to think critically, verify information, create knowledge, and use technology responsibly for the benefit of society and the nation.
The 1,944 graduates comprised 326 graduates of Diploma Three Programs, 1,458 graduates of Undergraduate Programs, 107 graduates of Master’s Programs, and 53 graduates of Professional Programs. Venus noted that graduation was not solely the result of students’ hard work, but also the outcome of the support, sacrifices, and prayers of their families throughout their educational journey.
In his address, Venus highlighted the major changes taking place as a result of advances in AI. According to him, AI can no longer be regarded as a technology of the future, as it has already become part of everyday life, ranging from learning, working, and communicating to conducting research, making decisions, and creating new knowledge.
He therefore invited the graduates to view the issue of AI from a more fundamental perspective. The question is no longer simply whether people are ready to use technology, but whether they are capable of maintaining control over knowledge amid the increasingly significant role of AI.
“Are we capable of remaining sovereign over our knowledge amid the increasingly significant role of AI?” Venus asked in his address.
He explained that knowledge sovereignty means having the ability not merely to consume information and use technology. University graduates, according to Venus, must be able to understand, critically assess, verify, and create knowledge, while also determining how science and technology should be used for the benefit of society.
“The smarter the technology we use, the higher the quality of human beings we must develop,” he said.
The World of Work Is Changing; Graduates Must Keep Learning
Technological change, Venus continued, is also shifting the competencies required in the workplace. Citing the Future of Jobs Report 2025 published by the World Economic Forum, he identified analytical thinking as one of the core skills required by organizations, followed by adaptability, leadership, creativity, and proficiency in AI and data.
By 2030, skills related to AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy are projected to grow at an increasingly rapid pace. This reinforces the need for graduates to continue developing their capabilities after earning their degrees.
According to Venus, technical skills considered advanced today may become basic competencies in the future. Therefore, graduates need to continuously develop analytical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, collaboration, communication, leadership, and the ability to generate new ideas.
“An academic degree enables you to enter the world of work, but your ability to keep learning will determine how far you can go within it,” he said.
Beyond Being AI Users
Venus also emphasized that UPNVJ does not want its graduates to become merely AI users. Instead, graduates are expected to become AI-enabled professionals—professionals who are able to harness AI to expand their capacity to think and create without surrendering their critical judgment and sense of responsibility to machines.
He reminded graduates to use AI to accelerate their work without allowing it to diminish their ability to think, expand their knowledge without neglecting verification, and drive innovation without compromising integrity.
“Use AI to amplify your intelligence, not to replace your thinking,” Venus said.
According to him, as machines become increasingly capable of handling technical and repetitive tasks, human strengths must be reinforced through creativity, empathy, leadership, communication, ethical judgment, collaboration, and critical thinking.
National Defense Values Remain Relevant in the AI Era
In this context, Venus linked technological developments with the character of National Defense, which serves as a defining identity of UPNVJ. According to him, National Defense should not be understood solely as readiness to confront physical threats, but should also be reflected in integrity, the courage to uphold the truth of information, the responsible use of knowledge, and the rejection of technology misuse.
When graduates use their knowledge to address societal challenges, develop beneficial innovations, maintain integrity in their professional work, and refuse to use technology to harm others, they are putting the values of National Defense into practice in their professional lives.
Therefore, Venus emphasized that competence, character, and meaningful contribution should not stand independently, but must become an integrated part of every UPNVJ graduate.
He then entrusted the graduates with three key messages: become lifelong learners, become sovereign users of technology, and become knowledgeable individuals with strong character. A degree, he said, does not mark the end of the learning process, but rather opens the door to a new journey that requires graduates to continue reading, asking questions, exploring, experimenting, and learning anew.
The message is in line with the theme of UPNVJ’s 77th Graduation Ceremony, “Producing Competent Graduates with National Defense Character and a Positive Impact on the Nation.” Through the graduation ceremony, UPNVJ encourages its graduates to bring the knowledge and character they have developed on campus into society while remaining adaptable to changes in technology and the world of work.
“Congratulations on entering a new chapter of life. Congratulations on serving, creating, and making your best contributions to society, the nation, and the country. Take with you the knowledge you have gained, strengthen your character, and become individuals who consistently bring benefits wherever you are,” Venus concluded.(www.upnvj.ac.id)
