EduAsiaNews, Jakarta – Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) has once again demonstrated its growing prominence on the national stage. ULM Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmad, S.E., M.Si., was officially appointed as Chair of the Economic, Financial, and Monetary Affairs Working Group of the Indonesian Rectors Forum (Forum Rektor Indonesia/FRI) for the 2025–2026 term during the inauguration ceremony held at the Hall on the 2nd Floor of Building D, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), Jakarta, on Monday (July 6, 2026).
The FRI executive board was inaugurated directly by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D. In addition to the ULM Rector, Prof. Dr. H. Sutarto Hadi, M.Si., M.Sc., Professor at ULM’s Faculty of Teacher Training and Education and Rector of ULM from 2014 to 2022, was also appointed as one of the Chairs of the FRI Advisory Board. The inclusion of two ULM representatives in the FRI leadership structure underscores the confidence of university leaders across Indonesia in ULM’s contributions to the advancement of national higher education.
Prof. Ahmad’s appointment as Chair of the Economic, Financial, and Monetary Affairs Working Group aligns with his distinguished track record as a Professor at ULM’s Faculty of Economics and Business, where he has been actively engaged in organizational governance, institutional development, and higher education resource management.
“Alhamdulillah, this appointment is both a responsibility and an honor, not only for me personally but also for the entire ULM academic community. Through the Economic, Financial, and Monetary Affairs Working Group, we will strive to ensure that the perspectives and ideas of higher education institutions contribute to shaping national economic policies, including strengthening regional economies and promoting research downstreaming that delivers tangible benefits to society,” Prof. Ahmad said following the inauguration.
The inauguration ceremony was followed by a National Dialogue themed “The Relevance of Higher Education as a Center of Innovation Excellence: Strengthening Synergy among Academia, Industry, and Government.” Moderated by a facilitator, the discussion featured Minister Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D., alongside university rectors from across Indonesia.
During the dialogue, university leaders emphasized the importance of collaboration among academia, industry, and government in positioning universities as centers of innovation excellence capable of addressing national development priorities. In his remarks, Prof. Dr. Garuda Wiko, S.H., M.Si., Chair of the Indonesian Rectors Forum for the 2025–2026 term, expressed his expectation that the newly inaugurated FRI leadership would strengthen the forum’s role as a strategic partner of the government in formulating policies on higher education, research, and innovation.
ULM’s participation in the leadership of the Indonesian Rectors Forum is expected to create broader opportunities for the university to contribute to the formulation of national higher education policies while further strengthening its position as a leading and competitive university, particularly in the development of education and research within Indonesia’s wetland environment.
