Unika Atma Jaya is the fruit of an idea discussed at a meeting of bishops throughout Java in June 1952. At that meeting, the possibility of establishing a Catholic university in Indonesia was raised. In Jakarta, that idea materialized with the founding of the Atma Jaya Foundation by a group of young Catholic intellectuals on June 1, 1960. This foundation later established a Catholic university named Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya. They included: Ir. J.P. Cho, Ir. Lo Siang Hien-Ginting, Drs. Goei Tjong Tik, I.J. Kasimo, J.B. Legiman, S.H., Drs. F.X. Seda, Pang Lay Kim, Tan Bian Seng, Anton M. Moeliono, St. Munadjat Danusaputro, J.E. Tan, Ben Mang-Reng Say.
In the early years, Unika Atma Jaya was assisted by Ursuline sisters, by providing lecture spaces in the Ursuline school complex on Jalan Lapangan Banteng Utara and the Santa Theresia complex in Menteng. Since 1967, Atma Jaya gradually occupied the campus on Jalan Sudirman, which is known as the Semanggi campus. Later it occupied the Pluit campus in North Jakarta for the Faculty of Medicine (FK), Atma Jaya Hospital (RSA), and Atma Jaya Funeral Home.
Atma Jaya means Victorious Spirit. A victorious spirit inspires us to always improve the quality of education. Academic excellence and professional graduates are the main orientation.
Today, Unika Atma Jaya has eight faculties with seventeen undergraduate programs (S1) and Graduate Programs with seven master's programs: Master of Management (MM) and Master of Applied English Linguistics (LTBI) in 1992, Master of Professional Psychology in 2005, Master of Biotechnology in 2011, Master of Psychological Sciences, Master of Law in 2012 and Master of Mechanical Engineering in 2013 as well as one doctoral program in Applied English Linguistics (LTBI) in 2002. For undergraduate programs (S1): Faculty of Economics (FE) and Faculty of Business Administration Sciences and Communication Sciences (FIABIKOM) were established in 1960, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) and Faculty of Engineering (FT) in 1961, Faculty of Law (FH) in 1965, Faculty of Medicine (FK) in 1967, Faculty of Psychology (FP) in 1992 and Master of Professional Psychology Program in 2005, and Faculty of Biotechnology (FTb) in 2002.
