Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) stands as a beacon of inclusive and equitable education in Indonesia. The institution provides clear policies and sustainable practices that address the needs and aspirations of female students. Together with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), UNNES implements inclusive frameworks to ensure that from the initial stage of registration to ongoing campus participation, every woman receives the support and opportunities she rightfully deserves.
UNNES’s commitment to gender equality is firmly guided by national policies, including the Gender Mainstreaming in Education policy (Pengarusutamaan Gender dalam Pendidikan), as well as gender-responsive regulations and curriculum reforms initiated by Kemdiktisaintek.
These policies emphasize that achieving gender equality is not merely about fair access, but also ensuring equal opportunity, fair treatment, and the elimination of barriers at every level.
In its implementation, UNNES’s admissions and participation policies are systematically designed to track, support, and encourage women to apply, be accepted, and thrive. UNNES upholds the principle that true educational equality is measured not only by the number of female applicants or students, but also by their ongoing success and representation in all areas of campus life.
Systematic Support from Admission to Campus Life
In accordance with national mandates, UNNES ensures its admissions processes are open and nondiscriminatory. UNNES warmly welcomes women applicants through transparent and gender-neutral criteria. The university’s official materials and outreach programs provide clear guidance and motivation for women to pursue higher education—not just as students, but as future leaders and innovators. This principle is echoed in UNNES’ data tracking of gender-disaggregated statistics from application to acceptance—which shows our accountability.
Once on campus, UNNES actively supports the participation of female students in all academic and extracurricular pursuits. Drawing from the recommended practices in the ACDP brief, UNNES fosters an environment that is sensitive to the unique challenges women may face in higher education and takes concrete steps to address any disparities in learning, advancement, or campus experience.
Institutional Programs Empowering Female Students
Beyond regulatory compliance, UNNES distinguishes itself through a variety of targeted programs and initiatives. The university regularly hosts forums and focus group discussions, such as the International Forum on Sustainable Development Goals (Focus Group Discussion on Women Empowerment) organized by the Faculty of Law. These events convene academics, researchers, students, and civic partners to engage deeply with the realities, challenges, and opportunities in strengthening women’s roles in education, law, economics, and sustainable development.
Such forums are more than symbolic gestures—they establish platforms for capacity-building and leadership development, giving women in the UNNES community real agency and voice in shaping academic culture and policy direction.
Women as Agents at UNNES
At UNNES, women are not simply participants in the educational journey—they are celebrated as critical assets and drivers of institutional success. These values are ingrained in university leadership, daily interactions, and long-term planning. Faculty and staff are encouraged and equipped, through ongoing gender-sensitivity training, to model the principles of fairness and equal opportunity in teaching, mentorship, and academic support.
Based on data, for instance, the lecturers consist of 635 (48.1%) women and 684 (51.9%) men. This relatively balanced proportion indicates that UNNES provides ample opportunities for women to occupy key positions within an educational institution. As a result, their voices can resonate even more widely.
