In a world moving through uncertainty and extremely rapid change, university graduates are expected to excel not only academically but also to be able to adapt to global dynamics. This was the main message of Hasanuddin University Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc. at the May 2026 Graduation Period, held at Baruga A.P. Pettarani, Tamalanrea Campus, Makassar, on Thursday (7 May).
Prof. JJ said the challenges facing today’s younger generation are far more complex than before. Threats no longer come only from natural factors but also from systems built by humans themselves, from the climate crisis and food insecurity to global economic fluctuations and exponentially advancing technological disruption.
According to Prof. JJ, the most important ability in this era is the willingness to keep learning and adapt to change. Prof. JJ stressed that the academic competencies graduates hold today will not be enough unless accompanied by the ability to update their knowledge and ways of thinking.
As the modern world develops, Prof. JJ described a range of new risks that call for a generation that is adaptive, creative, and open to change. In this context, Unhas graduates are expected not to get stuck in the comfort zone of the competencies they already have.
“The most valuable skill today is the ability to keep taking apart old knowledge and learning new things. Learn, unlearn, and relearn is an ability every Unhas graduate must have to stay relevant amid global change,” said Prof. JJ.
The mandate of universities to educate the nation must now be understood more broadly. According to Prof. JJ, it is no longer enough for higher education to produce graduates who excel in the classroom; it must also produce real solutions to society’s problems.
As part of that commitment, Unhas continues to strengthen innovation and the downstreaming of research so that the results of scientific development can have a direct impact on national development. Unhas has developed a variety of innovations, from superior corn seeds and the Alope chicken variety to modern closed-house livestock management, which forms part of strengthening the university’s agro-complex sector.
“Universities must be part of the nation’s solutions. Innovations born on campus must meet society’s needs and have a real impact on people’s lives,” Prof. JJ added.
At the end of the speech, Prof. JJ reminded graduates that academic degrees and diplomas are not the final goal but instruments for living a more meaningful life. Prof. JJ urged the graduates to keep their integrity, have the courage to evaluate themselves, and never stop learning in an increasingly competitive and dynamic working world. (*/mir)
Editor : Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.