History

The Physics Study Program, currently under the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at Universitas Udayana, has evolved through a long and strategic institutional journey rooted in a strong commitment to the advancement of basic sciences. Its establishment was formally initiated through the Rector’s Decree of Universitas Udayana No. 613/PT.17/I.a.012/1984 dated July 1, 1984. This decision was driven by the recognition of the need for a dedicated academic platform to develop and manage fundamental sciences, which serve as the essential foundation for applied sciences in supporting national and regional development across various sectors.

Further institutional strengthening took place through the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education No. 63/DIKTI/Kep/1988. According to this decree, the Physics Sub-Study Program was designated as an undergraduate (S1) program administered under the Faculty of Animal Husbandry at Universitas Udayana. At this stage, the program was designed as an inter-faculty initiative, implemented through academic collaboration with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of Universitas Airlangga and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Surabaya. This collaboration represented a strategic effort to ensure academic quality and institutional capacity building during its early development.

A significant transformation occurred with the issuance of the Director General of Higher Education Decree No. 92/DIKTI/Kep/1989 dated September 20, 1989, which upgraded the status of the Physics Sub-Study Program to the Physics Study Program. It was subsequently established as an inter-faculty undergraduate (S1) program operating directly under the Rector’s coordination. A major milestone followed with the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 0382/0/1993 dated October 22, 1993, which officially established the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at Universitas Udayana. Initially, the faculty comprised three study programs: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. This structure was further formalized through the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education No. 07/Dikti/Kep/1994 dated January 15, 1994, which defined the faculty as consisting of three departments: the Department of Physics, the Department of Chemistry, and the Department of Biology.

In response to evolving national higher education policies, organizational restructuring was implemented under the Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia No. 30 of 2016. Under this regulation, the Department of Physics was restructured into the Physics Study Program. Since 2018, the program has been managed by a coordinator appointed through a Rector’s decree, reflecting a more adaptive and professional academic governance system. Within this framework, the Physics Study Program serves as an academic unit responsible for managing education, research, and community service activities effectively and efficiently, in alignment with the organizational structure of FMIPA Universitas Udayana.

In line with the rapid advancement of science and technology and the growing needs of society, the Physics Study Program at FMIPA Universitas Udayana has continuously expanded its areas of expertise. These include Materials Physics and Optoelectronics, Biophysics, Instrumentation and Computational Physics, Geophysics, and Medical Physics. Through the development of these specialized fields, the program is committed to producing graduates who are competent, adaptive, and competitive, and who are capable of contributing meaningfully to the advancement of science and technology for the benefit of society.