The Department of Agricultural Socio-Economics (Sosek), Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has achieved remarkable success in media coverage throughout 2024. With more than 220 news articles published on the department’s official website and various social media platforms, Sosek has demonstrated a strong commitment to disseminating academic, research, and student activity information to the public.
Desi Utami, S.P., M.Env.Sc., Ph.D., Head of the Media Unit of the Faculty of Agriculture UGM, highly appreciates the media performance of the Sosek Department. According to her, the department’s media coverage has been excellent, as they consistently publish the latest news in a timely manner. This active dissemination of information not only benefits the faculty internally but also supports the performance targets set by the rectorate.
This success is largely due to the dedication of the social media and website administrators, who work tirelessly to ensure that every department activity is well-documented. The department’s Instagram account has also played a key role as an active channel for sharing information, making almost every activity within the department accessible to the wider public. This strategy aligns with the current digital consumption trend, where audiences tend to engage more with social media than with websites.
To support broader media exposure, the Faculty of Agriculture’s Media Unit collaborates closely with all departments through a dedicated WhatsApp group for news dissemination. This group serves as a communication platform for reporting uploaded news and coordinating training sessions organized by the faculty. With such effective coordination, media coverage within the Faculty of Agriculture has become more structured and efficient.
To further optimize media coverage, the Faculty of Agriculture has suggested several strategies for the Sosek Department, including maintaining a consistent publication target, uploading news on the website with links shared on social media, and utilizing the faculty’s Instagram account, which has over 16,000 followers, to reach a broader audience.
This achievement not only enhances academic and institutional exposure but also contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:
1. SDG 4: Quality Education, by ensuring that academic and research information is accessible to students and the public.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, through the use of digital technology for rapid and widespread information dissemination.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by fostering strong collaboration between the faculty and the department to sustain media coverage efforts.
Moving forward, the Department of Agricultural Socio-Economics UGM will continue to innovate in its publication strategies to further enhance exposure and public engagement with the academic and research activities conducted. This achievement serves as concrete evidence that strong media communication can be a vital asset in the development of higher education institutions.
Author: Adhika Hafizh Prasada, S.P.
Admin of the Website for the Department of Agricultural Socio-Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, UGM