During Mid-Semester Exams, Faculty of Agriculture at Universitas Gadjah Mada relaunched Pondasi UTS program to support students during exams period. The program has been running from April 14 to April 25, 2025. From 6:30 AM, 200 portions of food are served to support student well-being and preparedness for exams. The program is supported by various parties to ensure its success.
Pondasi UTS program which has been running since 2023, has received positive responses from students. Many of them feel greatly helped with free breakfast and drinks before exams. With academic pressure mounting in tight schedule, students often skip breakfast for studying.
“I really love Pondasi UTS. A lot of us don’t have time to eat or buy food because we’re busy studying in the morning. So getting a free breakfast on campus is super helpful,” said Shihan, a student from the Faculty of Agriculture at UGM.
Students also expressed appreciation for the use of eco-friendly packaging. This is part of the faculty’s effort to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly program, in line with its vision of Smart Eco Bioproduction.
“Yogyakarta is currently facing a waste crisis, so using carton packaging like this can help reduce plastic waste. It’s more biodegradable and better for the environment,” said Aqsha, another Agriculture student. Besides, he also hopes the program can continue to be held during every midterm and final exam period.
In another interview, Dr. Dyah Weny Respatie, S.P., M.Si., Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at the Faculty of Agriculture, shared her hopes that this program will also help stimulate the local economy, especially among food vendors at the faculty canteen.
“With the Pondasi UTS, it’s not only for students’ benefit, but we also hope to keep the economic activities of our canteen vendors running during the exam period,” Said Weny.
Pondasi UTS program is part of the Faculty of Agriculture’s effort to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 4: Quality Education, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Author : Noor Amelia Putri
Editor: Desi Utami