Diponegoro University
Around the early 1950s, the people of Central Java in general and the people of Semarang in particular needed the presence of a university as an implementer of higher education and teaching. This was to help the government in handling and carrying out development in all fields. At that time, in the provinces of Central Java and Yogyakarta, there was only Universitas Gadjah Mada which had the status of a state university.
The number of high school graduates in northern Central Java who would continue their higher education at universities was increasing, but because universities were still very limited, not all graduates could be accommodated. Realizing the increasingly urgent need for higher education, the Semarang University Foundation was then established with a Notary Deed R.M. Soeprapto No. 59 dated December 4, 1956 as an initial step in establishing a university in Semarang named Universitas Semarang.
Several figures who initiated the establishment of Universitas Semarang included Mr. Imam Bardjo, who at that time served as Head of the Prosecutor's Office or Supervisor of Prosecutors in Central Java and Yogyakarta, Mr. Sudarto, Mr. Soesanto Kartoatmodjo, and Mr. Dan Soelaiman, all three prosecutors in Semarang.
Meanwhile, several figures who were appointed for the first time as foundation administrators in the notary deed, as Chairman Mr. Soedarto, Vice Chairman Mr. Dan Soelaiman, Secretary Mr. Soesanto Kartoatmodjo, Treasurer Mr. Achmad Tjokrokoesoemo, Assistant Mr. Imam Bardjo, Mr. Goenawan Goetomo, Mr. Tan Tjing Hak, and Mr. Koo Swan Ik.
The establishment of Universitas Semarang apparently received responses and assistance from various parties, especially the people of Semarang, the Provincial Government of Central Java, and the Semarang City Government. Officially, Universitas Semarang was opened on January 9, 1957, with Mr. Imam Bardjo appointed as President of the University. At that time, he also gave a general lecture on Human Rights.
Considering its young age and still very limited educational facilities and infrastructure, at that time only the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences could be opened. As the first dean, Mr. R. Soebijono Tjitrowinoto. Then on March 1, 1957, the education of the Academy of State Administration was opened, which later changed to the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, with the first dean Mr. R. Goenawan Goetomo.
The Academy of Business Administration, which is now the Faculty of Economics, was opened on September 21, 1958, with the first dean, Dr. Tjioe Sien Kiong. Meanwhile, the education of the Academy of Engineering, which later became the Faculty of Engineering, was opened on October 20, 1958, with the first dean, Prof. Ir. R. Soemarman.
