UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) was established on November 10, 1954. This marked an important milestone in the history of higher education in Indonesia. UNAIR attracted young people from various social classes and regions to study in Surabaya. This diverse background led to dynamic student life, shaping personalities, academic culture, and student political movements during the university’s early years.
Facility challenges
Limited facilities became a major challenge. The Faculty of Medicine, the oldest faculty at UNAIR, occupied the NIAS building, which had very limited capacity. The first lecture, held on September 6, 1955, took place in the Karang Menjangan lecture hall, which could only accommodate 350 people — even though there were 450 students enrolled. This situation forced students to arrive early to secure seats. Some students even started lining up as early as 4:00 AM.
Early days of student organizations
In the early years, student organizations had not yet formed. Each faculty had its own student senate responsible for organizing activities within the faculty. In 1965, UNAIR’s Student Council was finally established as a coordinating body for the faculty-student senates. The Student Council also represented students at the university level.
The first chairman of the Student Council was Tjoa Jan Bing from the Faculty of Medicine. He laid the foundation for important university symbols, such as the UNAIR hymn and the university flag, which combined yellow and blue. These colors symbolized grandeur, bravery, and profound spirit. The yellow and blue were also inspired by the cloak draped over the statue of the god Vishnu, used during UNAIR’s inauguration ceremony by President Soekarno.
Traces of diversity and its impact
The diverse backgrounds of UNAIR’s students played an important role in shaping the campus’s academic and political culture. Students from different regions brought various ideologies, which led to the formation of external organizations, such as the Muslim Students’ Association (HMI), the Indonesian Christian Student Movement (PMKI), and the Indonesian National Student Movement (GMNI). Internal organizations — including cooperatives, sports clubs, and faculty magazines — also began to grow. These internal organizations were considered an important part of student activities.
Over time, the diversity of UNAIR students not only enriched its academic culture but also made significant contributions to Indonesia’s social and political dynamics at the time. UNAIR witnessed the birth of progressive ideas that influenced the nation’s development.
Source: Mendidik Bangsa, Membangun Peradaban (Sejarah Universitas Airlangga), by Prof. Dr. Sarkawi B. Husain et al.
Author: Zahwa Najiba Putri Malika
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
