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History
The Faculty of Law, Diponegoro University is the oldest faculty within Diponegoro University. Since its establishment in 1957, the Faculty of Law has undergone significant development, marked by improvements in the education system, the increasing number and quality of teaching staff (lecturers), as well as the enhancement of educational facilities and infrastructure. The continuous improvement in the faculty’s management is directed towards enhancing the quality of its graduates.
In terms of outcomes, the Faculty of Law has made substantial contributions to the nation’s development. Its alumni are spread across Indonesia, holding key positions in government institutions, the private sector, and society. The faculty has also contributed to the advancement of legal scholarship through research, the publication of legal textbooks that serve as national academic standards, and various scholarly works in the field of law, which are regularly published in academic journals, magazines, and mass media.
The future development of the Faculty of Law, Diponegoro University, will not only be based on the needs of the Faculty itself but will also take into account the changing dynamics of social structures at both national and international levels, as well as shifts in governance. Based on a self-evaluation through a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis, the Faculty of Law possesses considerable strengths for further development. These strengths include the adequate qualifications of teaching staff (lecturers), an ideal lecturer-to-student ratio, graduates with high academic achievements, relatively short study periods, and brief waiting times for employment.
Nevertheless, continuous development of the Faculty must be pursued through synergistic collaboration among the leadership, lecturers, administrative staff, and students, in order to improve the quality of teaching and enhance the competence of graduates.
From a historical perspective, the Faculty of Law, Diponegoro University, is the continuation of the Faculty of Law, University of Semarang. The name of the university was derived from the Semarang University Foundation (Yayasan Universitas Semarang), established by Notarial Deed of RM. Soeprapto dated December 21, 1956, Number 59, published in the State Gazette on January 18, 1957, Number 59. The first board members of the foundation were:
| Chairman | : | Mr. Sudarto |
| Vice Chairman | : | Mr. Dan Soelaiman |
| Secretary | : | Mr. Soesanto Kartoatmodjo |
| Treasurer | : | Achmad Tjokrokoesoemo |
| Assistants II | : | Mr. Imam Bardjo, Mr. Goenawan Goetomo, Mr. Tan Tjing Hak, Koo Swan Ik |
| Board of Curators | : | Anggota Dewan Kurator terdiri dari Hadi Soebeno Sosrowardoyo, Dr. Marzuki, Dr. V. Soedjito, Mr.Abdulmadjid Djojodhiningrat, dan R.M. Soeprapto |
On the occasion of the 3rd Anniversary (Dies Natalis) of the University of Semarang, held on January 9, 1960, the President of the Republic of Indonesia graciously conferred a new name upon the University of Semarang, namely Diponegoro University, which at that time remained a private institution. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Semarang University Foundation—who since 1958, following the transfer of University President Imam Bardjo, S.H. to Jakarta, also served as Acting University President—together with the leadership of the Provincial Government of Central Java, made efforts to transform Diponegoro University (private) into a State University. The first outcome of these efforts was the appointment of Sudarto, S.H.—formerly the Supervisor of the Prosecutor’s Offices in Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta—as a senior civil servant assigned to the Faculty of Law of Diponegoro University (private) in mid-1960.
To support operational teaching activities, lecture facilities such as classrooms and equipment were provided to the Foundation by the Regional Government and the community. During its early years, the Faculty of Law of Diponegoro University (private) conducted its academic activities in the former residence of the Governor of Central Java (which had previously served as the building for the Academy of Domestic Governance and later as the City Hall, now known as Wisma Perdamaian). In 1966, under the direction of the Regional Military Authority, the Faculty of Law was relocated to offices and lecture halls on Jalan MT Haryono No. 427. Later, it moved to larger premises on Jalan Pemuda No. 63, and in 1969 it was relocated again to the Pleburan complex at Jalan Imam Bardjo S.H. No. 1, Semarang, where it remains to this day.
In line with the Government’s policy at the time to establish State Universities in each Province (Daerah Tingkat I), Diponegoro University (private) was directly reviewed by the Head of the Higher Education Coordination Board, Prof. Dr. Soegiyono Djoenoet Poesponegoro, to assess the possibility of converting Diponegoro University into a State University. Finally, by virtue of Government Regulation No. 7 of 1961, Diponegoro State University (UNDIP) was officially established, with its faculties originating from Diponegoro University (private). The Faculty of Law, being the oldest faculty of the university, was designated as the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences. This merger was necessitated by the Ministry of Education, Teaching, and Culture’s prohibition at that time against the establishment of a separate Academy of State Administration. Thus, the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences consisted of two divisions: the Law Division and the Socio-Political Division. Subsequently, based on the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education No. 116 dated December 2, 1968, effective January 1, 1969, the Socio-Political Division was established as the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. From that date, the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences was renamed the Faculty of Law.
In its subsequent development, in order to meet public demand for advanced legal education in Semarang, the Postgraduate Program (Master’s Degree in Law) was introduced in 1980/1981. Based on a directive from the Director General of Higher Education to Universitas Indonesia No. 325/D/T82, dated April 21, 1982, this Master’s program was initially conducted through a Credit Accumulation System (Kegiatan Pengumpulan Kredit/KPK) linked to the Postgraduate Program of Universitas Indonesia. Later, by Decree of the Director General of Higher Education No. 155/DIKTI/Kep/1993, the postgraduate program became independent as the Master of Law Program (S-2) of Diponegoro University.
As part of its efforts to provide wider public service, the Master of Law Program established institutional collaborations, including with the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Indonesia (Agreement No. B.450/C15/1998 and No. 01/PT09/PMIH/KS/1998) to open a Special Master’s Program for Prosecutors, and with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (Agreement No. M.398.KP.11/1999) to establish a Special Master’s Program for the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.
In addition to the Master of Law Program, the Faculty of Law also established the Master of Notarial Law Program, as a continuation of the previous Specialist Education Program (Sp. I), which had been offered since 1981 (Dean’s Decree No. 21/PT09.1/1981 dated June 22, 1981, and Directorate General of Higher Education Decree No. 12/DIKTI/Kep/1984 dated March 20, 1984). Later, by virtue of the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education No. 81/DIKTI/Kep/2000 dated April 7, 2000, the Specialist Program in Notarial Law (Sp. I) was officially converted into the Master of Notarial Law Program (S-2), effective in the 2000/2001 academic year.
Further development took place with the establishment of the Doctoral Program (S-3) in Law (by Decree of the Director General of Higher Education No. 207/DIKTI/Kep/1995 dated July 15, 1995). This program was intended to produce graduates with broad perspectives, critical reasoning skills, and intellectual character sensitive to humanitarian issues.
Since 2012, the administration of the Master of Law Program, Master of Notarial Law Program, and Doctoral Program in Law has been placed under the Faculty of Law, Diponegoro University, having previously been managed by the Graduate School.
On the other hand, in response to public demand for broader access to legal education at UNDIP—and given the limited admissions capacity through the National Entrance Examination (SPMB)—the Non-Regular Undergraduate Program was introduced in the 1994/1995 academic year, with evening classes prioritized for graduates of Diploma (D-III) programs or other relevant study programs (UNDIP Rector’s Decree No. 109/SK/PT09/1994). In the 1997/1998 academic year, this program also began accepting high school graduates (SLTA) who, due to their year of graduation, were no longer eligible to participate in the SPMB. Starting from the 2000/2001 academic year, the Non-Regular Undergraduate Program opened admissions for both recent and previous high school graduates.