Satya Wacana Christian University (SWCU) started with the Indonesian Christian Teaching Educational Tertiary Institution (PTPG-KI). It was officiated on November 30, 1956, with five departments, including Education, History, English, Law, and Economics. PTPG-KI of Satya Wacana changed to become FKIP-KI on July 17, 1959. Then on December 5, 1959, it officially became Satya Wacana Christian University with the existence of the Economics Faculty and Law Faculty, which were then followed by the opening of several other new faculties and study programs.
As a private upper educational institution over 50 years old, Satya Wacana, which means "Faith in God's Decrees," continues to develop and is trusted by the society and government. At this time, SWCU has 56 study programs, consisting of 4 3-year Associate Degree study programs, 39 Undergraduate Degree study programs, 10 Master's Degree study programs, and 3 Doctorate Degree study programs.
The university motto is, Fear in God is the Beginning of Understanding. The university symbol is based on the name that is given, that is Satya Wacana, which means Faith in Decrees. The university symbol consists of: The left side is depicted Leather scroll like in the shape of an ancient book from Israel that has the meaning "decree." The depiction of the decree is a symbol of Christ, as is mentioned in John 1:1 "Then, in the beginning, there was a decree, and that decree was with God, and that decree is also God." On top of the scroll is drawn a cross between Alfa (A) and Omega (∩), which means that Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end. The cross, Alfa, and Omega is a symbol of Christ (Revelations 1:8). The symbol of Christ as God's Decree is drawn two times to depict how important it is to have faith and love in the decree (Satya Wacana) for Satya Wacana Christian University.
The right side is depicted fire in the shape of seven flames symbolizing the Holy Spirit. The depiction of the Holy Spirit is found in Revelations. The lower part is included with 1956- the year Indonesian Christian Teaching Educational Tertiary Institution was established, which was the beginning of Satya Wacana Christian University.
The overall meaning is that Satya Wacana is a Christian Upper Educational Institution that must always have faith in God's Decrees. Through perseverance, this faith is endeavored to read and strive for knowledge below the Holy Spirit's light. The desire for knowledge and fostering cannot be separated from a specific belief that Satya Wacana means Christian faith.
The vision of the University is:
- Become a Scientiarum University to ally upper-level knowledge related to real teaching (althea) based on Biblical realism.
- To Become a Magistrorum et Scholarium University to form a creative minority to build and regenerate Indonesia's citizens and country.
- To Become a Leadership Cultivator to allocate roles within society (including the church) that is developing.
- To Become a Radar in a situation of spiritual, moral, political, and cultural change that signals, records, and follows those changes using them to become an object or target of study and research.
- To Become an Educational Service Foundation and Provider (Diakonia) for the duration of its existence, entailing constructive criticism along with information to churches and society regarding the societal presence of poverty, injustice, dishonesty, and unrest.
The mission of the University is:
- To carry out the three responsibilities of an upper educational institution: high teaching and education, research, and social service.
- To operate an Indonesian Christian upper educational institution, meaning that the lives and activities on one side are motivated and are in the form of Christian faith, and on another side respond appropriately and act responsibly to socio-cultural situations and national needs those of the Republic of Indonesia.
- To motivate and develop an attitude and thinking that is critical-principle and creative-realistic based on the sensitivity of one's inner-self that is noble and led by God's Commandments.
- To create a center of thinking and experience to construct fair, free, orderly, and prosperous lives.
- To search for and strive to obtain meaningful relationships between Christian faiths with various fields of knowledge and activities or services.
- To strive to form and cultivate generations of societal leadership that, besides being equipped with a supply of knowledge and sensitivity in a particular field, also possess high social service awareness.
