Policy for Women Application and Entry
Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) has established institutional policies to ensure that women have equitable access to higher education from application and admission through participation in university activities. This commitment is formally reflected in the UPH Statute 2016 and reinforced through Circular Letter No. 005A/R-UPH/I/2023 on Inclusive and Anti-Discriminatory Campus Environment.
Key provisions supporting women’s access and participation include:
- Non-discriminatory admission
Article 57 of the UPH Statute 2016 establishes that new students are admitted through formal selection and/or merit-based admission processes, according to the minimum standard of academic qualifications. It explicitly states that UPH accepts students from diverse regions, ethnicities, religions, races, genders, social positions, and economic backgrounds, ensuring that gender does not constitute a barrier to admission.
- Inclusive evaluation of admission
Point a in 2023 Circular Letter requires UPH to evaluate admission and graduation processes while ensuring inclusivity for women, alongside economically disadvantaged groups, persons with disabilities, individuals from remote or underrepresented areas, and minority groups. This provides an explicit institutional mechanism addressing women’s entry and progression within the university.
- Equal participation in academic activities
Point f in 2023 Circular Letter requires all academic activities to be supported based on an individual’s potential without discrimination against women, ensuring that gender does not restrict participation in the university’s academic environment.
- Equal rights for women
UPH explicitly guarantees equal rights for women and other members of the academic community, reinforcing equal treatment beyond the initial admissions process and throughout university participation (Point f of 2023 Circular Letter, Article 57 Statute).
- Support programmes and scholarships
The Circular Letter (point b and c) calls for programmes, mentoring, scholarships, and other forms of support for academic community members, explicitly including women. This provides additional institutional support to facilitate women’s access and participation in higher education.
- Financial access
Article 58 of the UPH Statute requires UPH to make efforts to identify and provide scholarships to prospective students with high potential who face economic difficulties and/or limited access to quality higher education. This financial-access provision complements the non-discriminatory admissions policy by helping reduce economic barriers to entry.
- Protection against discrimination
The 2023 Circular Letter requires the prevention of discriminatory behaviour toward women and provides for sanctions against individuals who discriminate against women, reinforcing a safe and equitable environment for women after admission (Point k).
- Women’s continued development and participation
The policy explicitly supports women’s career development at all levels of the university, alongside maternity and paternity policies, demonstrating that the institution’s commitment extends beyond women and student entry, but promotes continued participation and development within the university community (Point g and h, 2023 Circular Letter).
Through these provisions, UPH establishes a policy framework addressing women’s application, acceptance, entry, participation, and continued development within the university. The combination of non-discriminatory admissions, inclusive evaluation, financial support, equal participation, and institutional protections demonstrates UPH’s commitment to ensuring that gender does not become a barrier to accessing or participating in higher education.