Beginning student life is not only about adjusting to the classroom, a new environment, and academic demands. There is a more basic element that is often overlooked: making sure that the body and mind are ready to go through the learning process.
That awareness became one of the foundations for the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication (FDK) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta as it introduced free health checkups for students, particularly new students of the 2026/2027 academic year.
Held at the FDK Theatrical Room, the health checkups began on Friday (9/11/2026). The activity is being carried out in stages through September 18, 2026, in partnership with the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Clinic (Poliklinik) and Depok 3 Community Health Center (Puskesmas).
For FDK, this checkup is more than just a health screening agenda. Beyond that, the activity serves as an initial step to understand students' conditions from the very start of their academic journey at UIN Sunan Kalijaga.
Dean of FDK UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Prof. Dr. Arif Maftuhin, S.Ag., M.A., I., emphasized that health is an essential asset for the success of the educational process.
"Lecturers and students are the capital of a nation. That's why health needs to be a concern from the very beginning. We shouldn't let a student's health condition only come to light once it has become severe," he said.
At the checkup site, students were not only guided through measuring their weight, height, or blood pressure. The examination also included blood sugar testing, general and dental checkups, as well as an assessment of psychological or mental health aspects.
For FDK, attention to mental health is an important part of this effort. Students' academic lives cannot always be understood simply through classroom attendance or academic achievement.
Arif gave an example: when a student does not attend classes, that situation should not automatically be interpreted as a matter of poor discipline.
"When a student misses class, it's often immediately assumed that the student is being lazy. But there could actually be a health condition they're dealing with," he explained.
For this reason, the health checkup is expected to serve as an entry point for building a health profile of FDK students. This information can later help the study programs and the faculty better understand students' needs, so that educational services can be delivered more appropriately.
This approach shows that higher education is not solely about the transfer of knowledge, but also about how students are understood as individuals with diverse conditions, needs, and challenges.
This effort is reinforced through FDK's collaboration with the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Clinic and Depok 3 Community Health Center.
Head of the Health Team at the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Clinic, Dr. Diana, explained that the university environment is a strategic space to begin early health detection efforts, particularly for new students.
"Our hope is to have health data for new students. Out of around 500 new FDK students, the checkups are being conducted in stages so we can obtain a picture of their health conditions," she explained.
Checkups are being conducted in stages by study program. Students from the Islamic Communication and Broadcasting Study Program (KPI) underwent their checkups on September 11, followed by Social Welfare Studies (IKS) on September 15. Meanwhile, students from Da'wah Management (MD) and Islamic Community Development (PMI) are scheduled for September 17, and Islamic Guidance and Counseling (BKI) on September 18, 2026.
The series of checkups includes anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, blood sugar, general physician and dental examinations, and psychological assessment.
One area of focus in the checkups is blood pressure. Conditions such as hypertension are not only a concern for older age groups, but can also be found among young people. Students who have a smoking habit can also receive education and guidance toward efforts to quit smoking.
For students who require further examination, screening results can serve as a basis for determining follow-up healthcare steps. They can also make use of health facilities available within UIN Sunan Kalijaga, as well as other health services, including through BPJS Kesehatan (National Health Insurance) for students who are already enrolled participants.
The UIN Sunan Kalijaga Clinic even provides a dedicated BPJS corner to help students obtain information and assistance related to enrollment and ongoing health monitoring.
This health checkup is expected not to end once the measurement process is complete and the results are compiled. For FDK, this moment can become the starting point for building a culture of healthy living within the campus environment.
"Going forward, we certainly hope that activities like this can continue to be held by FDK every year," Diana said.
That hope aligns with FDK's view that students need to be in good physical and mental condition in order to learn, interact, create, and develop their creativity to the fullest.
For that reason, Arif encouraged students to begin viewing health as a long-term investment.
"Take good care of your health, wherever and whenever you can. Exercise regularly and avoid smoking as a basic foundation for maximizing your creativity," he advised.
That message becomes especially relevant for students entering a new phase of life. Maintaining good activity patterns, adequate rest, and avoiding health-risk behaviors are all part of the process of building one's personal quality.
Through this health checkup for new students, FDK UIN Sunan Kalijaga demonstrates that building quality education also means creating a learning space that cares for the people going through the process within it.
At UIN Sunan Kalijaga, health is not simply a matter addressed only once someone falls ill. It is part of an ongoing effort to understand, support, and help students grow so they can go through their academic journey in a healthier, more complete, and more optimal way. (humassk)