Sriwijaya University

The idea to establish a college in South Sumatra had been around since the early 1950s and was prompted on Independence Day celebration on August 17, 1952. Initiated by some community leaders, the idea was transformed into an agreement to form a (South Sumatera’s Faculty Committee). At the end of August 1952, the faculty of economics was established under some considerations. Thus, South Sumatera’s Faculty Committee for Economics was set up and then managed by a foundation established on 1 April 1953. It was named (Syakhyakirti Higher Education Foundation). This Faculty was officially opened on October 31, 1953 in a ceremony attended by Mr. Hadi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Education Teaching and Culture (KDP), Drg. M. Isa (Governor of South Sumatera), Bambang Utoyo (Commander of the Sriwijaya II TT), and Ali Gathmyr (Chairman of the Parliament of South Sumatera). The Foundation of Higher Education Syakhyakirti continued the efforts to establish the university by organizing (Law Faculty Committee). It was inaugurated as ‘Faculty of Law and Public Knowledge’ on November 1, 1957, coinciding with the celebration of Dies Natalis IV of Economics Faculty. The progress was sustained by the help of Military Authorities Territorial II Sriwijaya that provided financial assistance to construct a permanent building of Syakhyakirti Higher Education Foundation in Bukit Besar (now Bukit Besar’s Campus of Sriwijaya University). The cornerstone laying ceremony took place on October 31, 1957. The next effort was state validation of the existing college. With the persistent efforts of community leaders of South Sumatera, like Colonel Harun Sohar (A Commander as well as Chairman of Paperda TT II/Sriwijaya) and A. Bastari (Governor), the obstacles of building the university could be overcome. Then, in December 1959, a delegation was sent to Jakarta to meet the Minister of KDP (Mr. Moh. Yamin) where they managed to obtain the Government willingness guarantee for taking over Syakhyakirti college to become a state university. Under the Government Regulation no. 42 of 1960 dated October 29, 1960 (State Archive year 1960 no.135) Sriwijaya University was officially inaugurated on the 3rd of November 1960 and President Sukarno ceremonially signing the charter witnessed by Minister of KDP (Mr. Priyono) and several Ambassadors of the fellow countries. Drg. M Isa was appointed with Presidential Decree No. 696/M of 1960 dated 29 October 1960 as the first President of the University. To meet the development demands, Sriwijaya University planned to expand the campus area by opening an area of 712 hectares in Indralaya, Ogan Komering Ilir (Now Ogan Ilir- OI), in 1982. The development of this new campus building started in 1983. The development of the campus started in 1989 and ended in 1993. The South Sumatera’s Governor at that time, Ramli Hasan Basri H, gave his inaugural lecture on Indralaya campus on September 1, 1993. The utilization of the facilities of Sriwijaya University in Indralaya was fully implemented with the issuance of the Decree of the Rector in January 1995 which stipulated that started from February 1, 1995 all activities of administration and most of the academic activities of Sriwijaya University were held on Indralaya campus. The Inauguration of Sriwijaya University’s new campus in Indralaya was officially held on March 6, 1997 by President Suharto. ==Location and facilities==