BEM Udayana Held “Sang Pewahyu Rakyat” Discussion with Professors, Preparing Academic Studies for the Bali Provincial Government

Denpasar — The Student Executive Board (BEM) of Udayana University held a discussion titled “Sang Pewahyu Rakyat” at the Senate Room of the Agrokomplek Building, Sudirman Campus, Denpasar, on Monday (October 6, 2025). The event was officially opened by the Rector of Udayana University and attended by Udayana University Professors, the Head of the Student Affairs Bureau, the Head of the Student Organization Development Unit, the President of BEM, and other invited guests.

In his report, the Committee Chair Pande Putu Jiyestha Nugraha stated that the event was organized to discuss the academic study that will be directly related to the upcoming Sang Pewahyu Rakyat Public Discussion 2025, which is scheduled for October 21, 2025.
“This study is necessary because the committee is not yet fully competent in producing or designing an academic study on behalf of Udayana University. Therefore, we would like to discuss it with lecturers, especially professors, regarding the issues and data we have included in the study,” he explained.

This year’s discussion carries the theme “The Ethics and Capitalism of Bali Itself.” The theme was chosen as a reflection of the current condition in Bali, where ethical and moral values are often overshadowed by capitalism and the pursuit of economic gain, sometimes at the expense of culture and ethics.

“This theme aligns with our upcoming event, ‘Exploring Bali in Two Worlds: Between Ethics and Capitalism’, which last year served as a public forum to test the gubernatorial candidates. This year, those same figures return as the Governor and the Chair of the Bali Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD). We, as part of Udayana’s academic community, hope to provide constructive academic feedback to policymakers. Our criticism is not meant to attack, but to evaluate and help improve. Later, there will also be an aspiration forum with the Governor and the Chair of DPRD Bali,” he added.

“Hopefully, this forum will produce the best outcomes, so that the academic study we are preparing can bring a positive impact to Bali,” Jiyestha concluded.

Meanwhile, the President of BEM Udayana I Wayan Arma Surya Dharma Putra stated that Sang Pewahyu Rakyat is an academic forum aimed at fostering open discussions that could lead to real follow-up actions from Udayana University, as the oldest and largest university in Bali.
“We have invited key policymakers from the executive and legislative branches—the Governor of Bali and the Chair of the DPRD. The goal is for them to share what has been achieved during their term so far, allowing us from Udayana to offer academic input on issues that may have arisen in the province,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the professors’ discussion forum would run smoothly, with active interaction between BEM members, participating students, and professors. “We, as students, truly need the participation and guidance of the Professorial Council, especially those attending today, so that our study can be refined and gain legitimate academic standing,” he added.

The Rector of Udayana University, Prof. I Ketut Sudarsana, in his remarks, expressed his delight at being able to attend and open the “Sang Pewahyu Rakyat” Professors’ Discussion organized by BEM Udayana 2025, carrying a highly reflective theme: “Exploring Bali in Two Worlds: Between Ethics and Capitalism.”
“This theme invites us all to reconsider the direction of Bali’s development—between the moral and spiritual values that define its people and the increasingly competitive demands of the global economy,” the Rector said.

He further emphasized that this forum embodies the real spirit of intergenerational academic collaboration between professors, lecturers, and students—an essential strength of Udayana University as an institution that not only produces graduates but also generates impactful ideas for society.

“As Rector, I truly appreciate BEM Udayana’s initiative in organizing a discussion that is not merely ceremonial, but instead provides an intellectual space for critical and constructive dialogue. In the dynamic context of Bali’s development, we face increasingly complex challenges: the commercialization of Balinese culture; tourism, once a source of pride, now facing overtourism; persistent social inequality and poverty; traffic congestion and environmental degradation reflecting the need for spatial reform; and educational disparities in remote areas reminding us that progress must be inclusive.

All these issues demand that universities serve as strategic partners to local governments—not merely observers, but providers of knowledge-based solutions. Activities like this prove that universities remain deeply connected to the people. From forums such as these, we find healthy criticism, brilliant ideas, and realistic solutions,” Prof. Sudarsana explained.

“I hope that the results of the Sang Pewahyu Rakyat 2025 academic discussion will serve as constructive input for the Bali Provincial Government and the DPRD in formulating policies rooted in ethics, oriented toward the people, and focused on sustainability. May this event also inspire other universities across Indonesia, showing that the voices of students and the thoughts of academics can unite for the progress of regions and the nation,” the Rector concluded.