The Faculty of Philosophy at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with Globethics and the Dharma Etika Madani Foundation (YADEMA), organized a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) entitled Ethics in Higher Education from June 10–13, 2025.
The FGD featured Meggy Kantert, an expert from Globethics with extensive experience in ethics education and responsible leadership at the international level. She led a series of intensive discussions and workshops with UGM lecturers and stakeholders to develop a framework module on Ethics in Higher Education, designed specifically for educators in higher education institutions.
In her opening remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy UGM, Prof. Dr. Rr. Siti Murtiningsih, S.S., M.Hum., expressed her appreciation for the collaboration in this program. “It is truly insightful to learn directly from Meggy Kantert as part of our commitment to integrity as an academic community. It is an honor for the Faculty of Philosophy to launch this important initiative. This is not only a response to the growing ethical challenges, but also a proactive step towards more responsible academic practices,” she stated.
The series of FGDs was designed with a participatory approach, beginning with a presentation of the results from a prior needs assessment conducted through online discussions. The first day focused on defining the goals and learning outcomes of the course to be developed, followed by the formulation of module themes and relevant case studies on the second day. Topics included ethical decision-making, ethics in academic services, plagiarism and publication ethics, discrimination, as well as gender- and cyber-based violence in educational settings.
On the third and fourth days, participants engaged in facilitation and teaching practice as part of the training to ensure the sustainability of the program. This initiative aims to equip trained lecturers and staff to independently implement this learning with high standards of ethics and pedagogy.
This program marks the beginning of long-term collaboration between UGM, Globethics, and YADEMA in advancing responsible leadership and a culture of academic integrity. With a spirit of collaboration and reflection, the FGD is expected to strengthen UGM’s position as a pioneer in promoting ethical and sustainable higher education in Indonesia.