Saturday, 01 August 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Indonesia's Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, has praised Universitas Satya Terra ST Bhinneka as a monumental higher education institution distinguished by a strong spirit of collaboration. The statement was delivered during the inauguration of the university building on Jalan TB Simatupang, Medan Sunggal District, Medan, on Monday, June 29.
Prof. Brian emphasized that the private university, established only three years ago, has already succeeded in constructing a representative campus building and a modern library, despite not yet having produced any graduates. According to him, this achievement is not merely a matter of physical development, but a reflection of a strong vision, collective effort, and lived solidarity.
In his remarks, Prof. Brian described ST Bhinneka as a model example of how collaboration in the education sector can generate extraordinary outcomes. He noted that the achievement serves as an inspiration for both public and private universities across Indonesia.
"This is a monumental building born from a great vision, commitment, sacrifice, cooperation, and mutual support. Remarkably, this university has not yet produced graduates, but through collective effort it has already managed to build a campus and a library. I encourage both public and private universities that already have many alumni to learn from ST Bhinneka on how to build an institution in the spirit of collaboration," he said during the inauguration.
Prof. Brian also highlighted the ST Bhinneka library, which he described as a potential center for open knowledge dissemination. He stressed that fostering a reading culture is a key indicator of national progress.
He further suggested that the library be made accessible to the wider public so that not only students but also the surrounding community can benefit from it. In addition, he proposed the establishment of a diorama or information center on the ground floor to document the university's historical development.
"This development is an inspiration. I often tell the story of Mr. Sofyan Tan because his dedication is extraordinary," he added.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sultan Iskandar Muda Education Foundation (YPSIM) and member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Dr. Sofyan Tan, expressed his gratitude for the minister's presence, which he said serves as a strong motivation for the entire ST Bhinneka academic community.
He also recalled the institution's challenging early stages, including a period of financial uncertainty when even the possibility of selling the school was considered. A pivotal moment came when Paidi Iskak provided his land as collateral for a bank loan, helping the institution survive.
Sofyan Tan also paid tribute to the late Sarwono Kusumaatmadja as a mentor and close companion who consistently encouraged him to remain committed to a vision of multicultural education despite difficulties.
In his honor, the university library was named after Sarwono Kusumaatmadja. It now serves not only as a place of learning but also as a symbol of building society through education and diversity.
The ST Bhinneka library also reflects a strong culture of collaboration, bringing together 319 contributors who donated a total of 15,718 books, with an estimated value of approximately 1.938 billion rupiah. This underscores a powerful spirit of collective participation in both physical development and knowledge advancement.
"Our hope is simple: ST Bhinneka should become a private university with the character of a public institution, producing outstanding generations for Indonesia. We even dream that one day, a scientist from this university will win the Nobel Prize and proudly represent the nation," said Sofyan Tan. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
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