Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta Students Win Multiple Awards at Putra Putri Nusantara Special Region of Yogyakarta 2026

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Hisba Cahyani, a Pharmacy student at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), achieved outstanding success at the Putra Putri Nusantara Special Region of Yogyakarta 2026 competition. She was crowned 2nd Runner Up (3rd Place) and also received the Best Advocacy nomination in the prestigious event.

In addition to Hisba’s achievement, Muhammad Rafi Nurmanto and Noval Setiawan Saputra, both Management students, were named Runner Up 4, while Nur Raihanna Zulfa received the Friendship category nomination.

The Putra Putri Nusantara Special Region of Yogyakarta 2026 competition serves as a platform for developing young people who are accomplished, well-rounded, and committed to preserving cultural values. Finalists were assessed not only on appearance, but also on knowledge, communication skills, leadership, and social awareness.

Hisba explained that during the selection process, participants underwent one week of online quarantine and two weeks of in-person quarantine. Throughout the stages, judges evaluated various aspects, including interaction among finalists, discipline, and personal responsibility.

“I tried to demonstrate commitment in responsibility and discipline, both in neatness and time management. In addition, foreign language ability, especially Russian, became an added value that I brought into designing the Santri Goes Global advocacy program,” she said.

The Santri Goes Global advocacy program is a language literacy initiative carried out by Hisba at the Qur’anic learning center where she teaches. The program aims to introduce foreign languages to children from an early age so they can gain global insight without losing their local cultural identity.

This is not Hisba’s first achievement. Previously, she won 1st Place in the National Solo Vocal Competition at IB FEST 2024, 2nd Place in the Russian Poetry Reading Competition organized by the Embassy of Russia in Indonesia in 2025, and was selected as a delegate for the National Youth Conference Skill Up, Level Up, Impact Up 2025.

Hisba expressed gratitude for the achievement, saying it was a valuable experience to better understand her potential while deepening her appreciation for national culture.

“I feel that UNU Jogja strongly supports student development. One example is through facilities and programs that help students recognize and develop their potential,” she said.

Similarly, Noval Setiawan Saputra and Muhammad Rafi Nurmanto stated that the classroom learning environment at UNU Jogja had encouraged them to keep growing and to confidently try new things.

“Our lecturers always teach us not to hesitate in trying something new. In addition, we are continuously encouraged to develop ourselves and compete,” said Noval.

After being selected, the finalists and winners will serve as representatives of the younger generation through community service, collaboration, and the implementation of advocacy programs in education, culture, tourism, social development, and environmental sectors.

Campus Ecosystem Supports Student Achievement and Career Development

The success of UNU Jogja students is inseparable from a learning ecosystem that promotes both academic and non-academic competence development. In the classroom, students are encouraged to build self-confidence in expressing ideas, improve public speaking, problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to identify opportunities.

As a university based in Yogyakarta, Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta also provides access to collaboration with institutions and private sectors through internship programs and strategic partnerships. Students are given opportunities to engage directly in the professional world during their studies.

To strengthen global competitiveness, students are also facilitated through foreign language classes such as English, Russian, Mandarin, and Arabic. Meanwhile, student interests and creativity are supported through various student associations and extracurricular organizations, including martial arts, scouting, Jami’ah Qurra wal Huffadz, and music.

From the first semester, students are encouraged to collaborate with MSMEs to gain business exposure, develop entrepreneurial spirit, and sharpen critical thinking skills. Before graduation, students also receive career preparation through job interview training, professional skill enhancement, and competency certification.

UNU Jogja also encourages graduates to continue their master’s studies both domestically and abroad through education seminars and information sessions on international scholarship opportunities. [Latifah]