Rector becomes diplomat

JAKARTA (JP): Soedarso Djojonegoro has left his job as rector of the state-run Airlangga University in Surabaya to assume a new post as Indonesia's ambassador to the United Nations' Education, Science and Cultural Organization (Unesco) based in Paris.

Soedarso, who is the elder brother of Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, on Thursday visited East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman to bid farewell.

He told Antara that he would fly to Paris with his family on Dec. 29 and pointed out that he had to bid farewell to Basofi since he is from Madura island which is part of East Java.

Soedarso, 63 years old, replaces Haryadi Supangat as Indonesian ambassador to Unesco who ended his term last September.

He is expected to serve for a four-year term. He will be the second Airlangga University rector to fill in the job. The first was Marsetio Donosepoetro, who served before Haryadi, and is now a member of the House of Representatives. (emb)