Fact Check: Did Indonesia's UGM Rector Resign Over Jokowi's Diploma Ruling?

Social media posts have claimed that Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Rector Professor Ova Emilia resigned after alleging that former Indonesian President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) diploma was fake. These claims have circulated online since early August 2026 on platforms including YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. However, a fact check reveals that this is not true.

The Jakarta Administrative Court (PTUN) did reject UGM's appeal regarding the KIP ruling on Jokowi's diploma, which was upheld in March 2026. According to Tempo's verification, Ova Emilia has not resigned and continues to serve as the active Rector of UGM. The claim that Jokowi's diploma was fake has also not been made by her.

Ova Emilia attended a ceremony on August 9, 2026, for the inauguration of the Kalitalang ecotourism area in Central Java, which was a collaboration between the Astra Honda Motor Foundation, UGM, and local government through the Thematic Student Community Service program. The ecotourism area was the result of this partnership.

The dispute about Jokowi's diploma originated from a civic group called Bongkar Ijazah Jokowi (Bonjowi), which demanded the disclosure of Jokowi's academic documents. The Public Information Commission (KIP) partially ruled in favor of Bonjowi in July 2026, stating that copies of Jokowi's diploma and academic records can be disclosed to the public, except for grades and personal data.

UGM appealed this decision to the PTUN, arguing that they refused to comply with the Law on Personal Data Protection (PDP Law) of 2022. The UGM Rector confirmed that Jokowi is indeed an official graduate of UGM, and the university holds his diploma from the 1985 graduation ceremony.