In 1962, it was realized that the Province of East Nusa Tenggara needed higher education institutions, so the Founding Committee of the State University in Kupang was formed. The committee is chaired by W.J.Lalamentik (as Governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province) and Secretary I, Captain El Tari, and Secretary II, Drs. R. Karsono. This committee is equipped with five sections whose members consist of officials and community leaders in East Nusa Tenggara Province. On September 1st, 1962, Undana was born, domiciled in Kupang, which was confirmed through Presidential Decree Number 76 of 1963 in the date of April 23rd, 1963. Based on the PTIP Ministry Decree number 162/MP/1962 defined 4 Faculties, those were : Agriculture Faculty, Animal Husbandry Faculty, Teacher Training and Education Faculty, and Faculty of State Administration and Trade Administration.
The newly founded university was named "Nusa Cendana State University" based on Presidential Decree No. 67 of 1963 dated April 23rd, 1963. The name was determined based on a choice of three names proposed by a committee namely: Nusa Cendana, Praja and Liurai. In the implementation of duties and responsibilities in Nusa Cendana State University can run well, based on the PTIP Minister Decree No.162/MP/1962, dated February, 14th, 1962, Catur Tunggal Province of Dati I of East Nusa Tenggara Province was appointed as President of the University that chaired by Muh. Salim, SH (Head of the High Prosecutor's Office in Kupang) and His secretary was Drs. S. Daud. Besides that, a University Foundation was also formed that was led by W.C.H. Oematan.
At that time, due to technical reasons, especially the limited of teaching staff and laboratory Assistant, only two faculties were opened, namely:
1) Faculty of State Administration and Trade Administration
2) Faculty of Teaching and Education with two departments
3) Majors in Kupang: Department of Law, Economics and Life Sciences.
4) Majors in Ende: Natural Sciences, Education and English.
In subsequent developments, the Faculty of Animal Husbandry (FAPET) was established on October 1st, 1964, following by the Faculty of Law (FH) was established on May 20th, but still in private status under the auspices of the foundation. 1965, but with private status under a foundation. Based on the Decree of the Minister of P and K Number 0621/0/1977, the Faculty of Law was integrated into the Faculty of State Administration and Trade Administration and Law which had the status as a department and had two departments namely: the Department of Civil and the Department of Criminal. In 1980, the Law Department was changed into the Faculty of Law. In the developments of Nusa Cendana State University, in 1982, the Faculty of Agriculture was opened included the Department of Agronomy and the Department of Agricultural Socio-Economics. It was following by the Faculty of Non-Technology Degree which had the Department of Civil Engineering, the Department of Counseling and the Department of Integrated Agriculture that was housed in the Faculty of Animal Husbandry in 1979, then it was abolished in 1991 and was established Technical Implementation Unit of Engineering which had a Department of Civil Engineering. While the Department of Integrated Agricultural Extension was transferred to the Faculty of Agriculture. Furthermore, in 1994 Technical Implementation Unit of Fisheries and Marine Science was established. Technical Implementation Unit of Engineering opened two new departments, namely the Department of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Following by Faculty of Agriculture opened the Department of Plant Pests and Diseases and the Department of Soil Science.
POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM
In 1999, based on the Rector’s Decree Number 82 of 1999, a preparatory team was formed for the opening of the Postgraduate Study Program, based on the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education Number 2571/D/T/2001 dated August 2nd, 2001 with the Masters in Animal Husbandry Development Study Program valid in the 2001/2002 academic year. Furthermore, the Master of Public Administration Study Program was also opened based on the Letter of the Directorate General of Higher Education Ministry of National Education Number 2706/D/T/2005 dated July 22nd 2005 and changed its name to the Masters of Administration Study Program (2012) and Master of Science in Natural Resource and Development based on the Letter of the Directorate General Higher Education Ministry of National Education Number: 4655/D/T/2004 dated November 29th, 2004 (IPSAL), Master of Law Study Program based on Letter of the Directorate General of Higher Education Ministry of National Education Number: 2706/D/T/2005 dated July 22nd 2005, Master Program in Linguistics based on Letter Directorate General of Higher Education Ministry of National Education Number: 549/D/T/2008 dated March 5th 2008, Master Degree Study Program in PIPS based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia Number: 274/E/O/2012 dated August 24th 2012, Master Program in English Language Education based on a Letter from the Ministry of Education and Culture , Directorate General of Higher Education Number: 974/E/T/2012, January 19th, 2012, Master Program in Public Health Sciences based on Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No.483/E/O/2013 dated October 18th, 2013 and Doctoral Programs in Animal Husbandry and Doctoral Sciences Administration according to the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No.196/E/O/2013 dated May 21st 2013.
These are the list of directors of Postgraduate Program of Nusa Cendana University
1) Prof. Dr. Agustinus Benu, M.S. (2000-2002);
2) Prof. Ir. Usaha Ginting Monthe, M.P., Ph.D. (2002-2006);
3) Prof. Dr. Ir. Jublin F. Bale Therik, M.S. (2006-2015);
4) Prof. Dr. Aloysius Liliweri, M.S. (2015-2019);
5) Prof. Drs. Mangadas Lumban Gaol, M.Si., Ph.D. (2019-2020); dan
6) Prof. Feliks Tans, M.Ed., Ph.D. (2020-sekarang).
Direktur Pascasarjana