Master of Business Administration Program, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (MBA FEB UGM) has once again produced an outstanding graduate! Oryza Novianingtyas, a student of cohort JOG-IMBA-80, successfully graduated Cum Laude with a perfect GPA of 4.00, making her the Best Graduate of MBA FEB UGM for the April 2025 graduation period. This proud announcement was made at the Graduation Farewell Evening Ceremony (MPCW), held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in the backyard of the MBA FEB UGM Yogyakarta Campus Plaza.
Originally from Klaten, Central Java, Oryza completed her studies in the International MBA program at MBA FEB UGM through a dual degree with Melbourne Business School (MBS), University of Melbourne, the top-ranked business school in Australia. She completed both her studies at UGM and MBS in 2 years, 5 months, and 8 days. In her speech, Oryza shared that her learning experience at UGM greatly helped her succeed at MBS. “I can proudly say that what I learned at UGM became a valuable foundation to complete my studies at the University of Melbourne, where I also made it to the Dean’s Honour List in 2024,” she said.
Oryza shared that she would truly miss the stimulating classroom discussions at MBA FEB UGM. Born in 1990, she expressed her gratitude for the practical learning experiences, where she not only received theoretical knowledge but also developed the confidence to present and defend her ideas with logical reasoning.
Reflecting on her study journey, Oryza shared: “Actually, I’m from an earlier cohort, so graduating now is a bit bittersweet because I’m no longer with my original classmates. Since I took the dual degree program, I spent one year at UGM, then another year in Melbourne, and added one more semester to complete my thesis at UGM. So yes, it took a bit longer for me to graduate,” she explained during an interview on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
A self-professed lover of learning, challenges, and new experiences, Oryza also explained why she chose to pursue her master’s at UGM. “My main reason was because I was looking for a strong linkage program. I wanted to experience studying at a top Indonesian public university since I previously studied at a government college and at the same time, I wanted to study abroad. I compared many programs, and what I found was that in many linkage programs, the overseas partner universities were often ranked lower than the Indonesian institutions. So I thought, what’s the point if the quality is not higher? I chose UGM because it has strong partnerships with top universities like Melbourne and Sydney.”
Oryza is a recipient of a scholarship from the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Ministry of Finance, and currently works at one of its directorates. “My role is more focused on auditing, examining companies to ensure they fulfill their obligations to the state,” she shared. Balancing her studies and professional work, she acknowledged the vital role her family played as her main support system throughout her journey.
Finally, Oryza emphasized the importance of progress and personal growth. She encouraged fellow MBA students to take initiative: “If you keep delaying, you might miss certain opportunities. It’s better to start early so you can see your progress and fix things from the beginning if needed.”
MBA FEB UGM congratulates Oryza Novianingtyas on her outstanding achievement and graduation. May this be the beginning of an even brighter future!
Reporter: Fitrianti Rizqi Amalia
Editor : Ayu Aprilia
