A Brief History
Unsultra is a private higher learning institution which delivers higher educational programs, and is owned by Yayasan Pendidikan Tinggi Sulawesi Tenggara, ‘Higher Education Foundation of Southeast Sulawesi’. It was established on July 9, 1986 based on the Notarial Document No. 15 Year 1986. It received the Decree of the Coordinator of Kopertis Wilayah IX (the government’s representative coordinating private higher learning institutions in region 9, Sulawesi) No.222 Year 1987 dated May 18, regarding temporary approval for organizing academic activities, and the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No.0480 / 0 / 1989 dated August 1, 1989, concerning the granting of Registered status.
At the beginning, Unsultra ran 5 (five) faculties: Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, and Faculty of Economics (has recently changed to Faculty of Economics and Business).
With the instalment of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education in 2017, now Unsultra runs 6 (six) faculties managing 7 (seven) study programs (S1- degree): Civil Engineering, Agricultural Product Technology, Law Science,The Study of Government, Management, PGSD (Primary School Teacher Education), and PG-PAUD (Early Childhood Teacher Education).
At the moment, the university is waiting for approval from the Ministry of Research and Technology-Higher Education for 1 post-graduate (S-2) program: Law Science, 7 undergraduate (S-1) programs:Mining, Regional and City Planning, Agribusiness, Entrepreneurship, Fisheries,Mathematics Education, Basic Science Education, and 1 vocational (D-3) program: Marketing Management which have recently proposed.
Since its establishment, Unsultra has been working hard to improve its human resources, facilities and infrastructure, and management of education in 5 AA BBrriieeff HHiissttoorryy 6 accordance with the existing conditions and capabilities. As a result, under effective management and leadership, since 2014 Unsultra has experienced rapid development. In the area of infrastructure and physical facilities, it now has dedicated buildings for each faculty, libraries, laboratories, and other supporting facilities like internet, business centre, covered outdoor learning areas, sport and art facilities. In the area of human resource quality improvement, efforts have been made to improve the quality of its permanent staff members by means of further education, participations in national and international scientific forums, workshops, and cooperation with various parties.
The number of students studying at Unsultra has been increasing significantly in the last several years. At present, the number of students at the university is 2,238. In terms of management, Unsultra has been under the leadership of eight rectors: (1) Drs. H. Soenardi (1986 to 1992); (2) Prof. A Mokodompit (1992-1995); (3) Drs. H. S. Manomang (1995 – 1998); (4) H. Djalante P.(1998 – 2002); (5) Drs.Suleman (2002 – 2005); (6) H.M. IchlasMappilawa (2005 – 2009); (7) Drs. H. EkaPaksi, M.Si (2009 – 2013); (8) Prof.Dr. Ir. H. Andi Bahrun, M.Sc. Agric. (2013 – present).
The campus is strategically located in Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi Province, populated by about 400,000 people of various Indonesian ethnic groups, making it socio-culturally diverse. Kendari is about an hour by plane from Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi Province, or about 3 hours from Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.
After several years in operation, in 1998, Unsultra moved to a new, easily accessed campus in the suburb of Baruga; it is close to public services such as malls, supermarkets, traditional market, private and public hospitals, bus terminal, and Haluoleo International Airport. Being a rapidly developing university in the last several years, in terms of management, academic, and administrative services, it is now one of the most popular universities in the region.