Two delegating teams from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) delivered outstanding performances at the National Excellence Competition (NEC) Chapter 2026, hosted by Universitas Mataram. The prestigious national essay competition brought together leading teams from universities across Indonesia to compete across eight sub-fields of study. From those eight sub-fields, both UGM teams advanced to the final round and claimed awards that placed UGM among the top-performing universities in attendance. Team BioMaggot-ColorSense from the Faculty of Agricultural Technology earned the 2nd Place Overall Winner title along with a Gold Medal Final, Best Idea, and Best Team Final, while Team Circular Stage System (CSS) from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences secured a Gold Medal as finalists. read more

Amid the growing threat of coastal erosion and climate change along Yogyakarta’s southern coastline, hundreds of students, school pupils, community members, and local residents came together to plant 1,000 mangrove trees along the shores of Jangkaran, Kulon Progo, Special Region of Yogyakarta, on Saturday, May 24, 2026. The event, titled “Plant Today, Protect Tomorrow”, was organized by Universitas Gadjah Mada through its Postgraduate Student Association (Himpunan Mahasiswa Pascasarjana/HMP) as a concrete expression of concern for the environmental crisis and the worsening degradation of coastal ecosystems. Approximately 250 participants from diverse backgrounds, including undergraduate and postgraduate students, senior high school pupils, environmental communities, and members of the general public, took part in this collective action. Mangroves were chosen as the focus of the initiative for their remarkable capacity to absorb blue carbon while serving as a natural barrier that protects coastlines from erosion and the broader impacts of climate change. read more