EduAsiaNews, Pangkalpinang – Universitas Bangka Belitung made history at its 20th Anniversary celebration, or Lustrum IV, on Monday (13/4/2026). In a solemn open senate session held at the Balai Utama De Universitaria Hall, UBB Integrated Campus, three academics were officially inaugurated as full professors. What made the occasion all the more remarkable was that all three newly appointed professors are women, an achievement unprecedented in the history of the only state university in Bangka Belitung Islands Province.
The three academics come from diverse fields of study, each directly relevant to the region’s development needs. Prof. Dr. Devi Valeriani, S.E., M.Si. was inaugurated as Full Professor in Tourism Economics, Prof. Dr. Reniati, S.E., M.Si. in Strategic Human Resource Management, and Prof. Dr. Derita Prapti Rahayu, S.H., M.H. in Mining Corporate Law. All three delivered inaugural academic lectures addressing strategic issues in the development of archipelagic regions.
In her lecture, Prof. Devi Valeriani advanced the concept of blue tourism as the foundation of an integrated island tourism model, deemed strategically vital for the development of island territories. Meanwhile, Prof. Derita’s inauguration in the field of mining law was welcomed as a highly contextual academic milestone. Bangka Belitung, as Indonesia’s largest tin-producing region, is widely seen as in need of a strong legal framework to govern its mining industry. “Becoming a professor is not about representing any particular community, there are very real internal challenges that each academic must overcome on their own,” UBB Rector Prof. Dr. Ibrahim, S.Fil., M.Si. told reporters.
Rector Ibrahim affirmed that the inaugurations further cement UBB’s position as a reliable center of knowledge development in the archipelago. He also stressed that the dominance of women in this round of appointments was no mere coincidence. “This is an affirmation of gender equality that we must all appreciate,” he said. The rectorate, Ibrahim added, continues to encourage all teaching staff at UBB to pursue the highest rung of academic achievement. full professorship, regardless of gender.
Deputy Mayor of Pangkalpinang, Dessy Ayutrisna, who attended the inauguration ceremony, extended her congratulations on behalf of the city government. “We offer our sincere congratulations and share in this pride. We hope that the knowledge gained will contribute to progress and open the door to collaboration with local government,” said Dessy. Speaker of the Bangka Belitung Provincial Parliament, Didit Srigusjaya, likewise regarded the inaugurations as proof that UBB’s academic quality can now stand alongside leading national universities. Entering its third decade, UBB now counts 19 active full professors in its ranks — a leap that underscores the university’s transformation from a once-doubted aspiration into the proudest institution of higher learning in the land of Serumpun Sebalai. (**)
