UPN Jogja Names Five Candidates for 2026-2030 Rector Election

UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta (UPN Jogja) has named five prospective rector candidates for the 2026-2030 period. These five candidates were confirmed after passing the administrative selection process. UPN Jogja had initially named four candidates on 25 June, but the university extended the registration period and announced the updated list today. During the extension, one candidate withdrew and two new applicants were declared to have passed the selection. The five candidates were confirmed in a plenary session documented under official report number 34/UN62/KP.05.00/2026/SENAT on Monday (27/7/2026).

Chair of the UPN Jogja Senate, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mohammad Nurcholis, M.Agr., emphasised that the confirmation of the five candidates is part of the university senate’s commitment to overseeing the leadership succession process to ensure it is transparent, objective, accountable, and in accordance with applicable regulations. ‘The presence of prospective rector candidates from both internal and external UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta demonstrates the transparency of the selection process. The diversity of backgrounds and experiences among the candidates is expected to enrich ideas and present the best leadership options for the Bela Negara Campus,’ Nurcholis stated in a written announcement on the official UPN Jogja website on Wednesday (29/7/2026).

The five candidates who will proceed to the screening stage are: Prof. Ir. Ridho Kresna Wattimena, M.T., Ph.D. from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB); Dr. Awang Hendrianto Pratomo, S.T., M.T. from UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta; Dr. Susanta, M.Si. from UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta; Dr. Ir. Johan Danu Prasetya, S.Kel., M.Si. from UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta; and Dr. Dra. Machya Astuti Dewi, M.Si. from UPN ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta.

Despite confirming the candidates, the university is still accepting objections to the administrative selection results from 29 to 31 July 2026, with finalisation scheduled for 3 August 2026. The candidates will then conduct public presentations of their profiles and track records, followed by an open senate session to deliver their vision and mission statements. A closed senate session and screening will take place on 18 August to determine three names to be submitted to the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology.