The University of Indonesia emblem was created in 1952 by Sumaxtono (real name Sumartono), a student of the Class of 1951 Fine Arts Faculty of Engineering, Universiteit Indonesia, Bandung. The basic idea of the symbol is kala-makara, which are two forces in nature: kala as the force above (the power of the sun) and makara as the force below (the power of the earth). The two forces are combined and stylized by Sumaxtono into a makara that symbolizes the University of Indonesia as both a source of knowledge, and its results, which spread in all directions.

The University of Indonesia emblem consists of two elements, namely: a tree with branches and makara.

The meaning of the University of Indonesia emblem is as follows:

The tree with branches and buds symbolizes the tree of science with its branches of knowledge, while the buds will one day bloom and become new branches of science. The buds will always bloom as long as the tree of science lives. Thus, Sumaxtono wants to state that the branches of science will develop according to the needs and progress of the times.

Makara that flows water symbolizes the results that radiate in all directions. The meaning given by Sumaxtono is that the University of Indonesia as a source of knowledge, will produce scholars who are intelligent, skilled, full of piety, virtuous, and personality, as well as being open, responsive to changes and advances in science and technology as well as problems faced by society, and able to solve them in accordance with academic rules, wherever they are.

The design and its meaning were shown by Sumaxtono to Srihadi (Fine Arts student of FT-UI, Bandung, Class of 1952) in 1952. Prof. KRHT H. Srihadi Soedarsono Adhikoesoemo, M.A. - who is also the creator of the Bandung Institute of Technology emblem - does not know when and who authorized the UI emblem. What is certain is that the cover of the book Universiteit Indonesia, Fakulteit Teknik, Bandung: Rentjana Untuk Tahun Peladjaran 1952-1953 (AID Printing, Bandung, 120 pp.) uses the University of Indonesia emblem for the first time as created by Sumaxtono (without the triangular frame).