Hasanuddin University has officially entered a new chapter of leadership after Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc. was inaugurated as Unhas Rector for a second term, 2026–2030, on Monday (27 April). The inauguration marks the continuation of Unhas’s transformation as an excellent, globally competitive university, firmly rooted in national values and service to society.
In his address, Prof. JJ stressed that the mandate to lead Unhas is not a journey made alone, but a collective effort of the entire academic community to fulfill the constitutional mandate to advance the nation’s intellectual life.
Prof. JJ likened the task of being Rector to that of a captain steering a great ship across a vast ocean with challenges that are not always easy. Yet, as a son of Bugis-Makassar with a seafarer’s spirit, he said he is ready to face every wave of change to keep Unhas moving forward.
Prof. JJ reviewed his leadership journey since 2022, which began at the tail end of the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, Unhas faced a major phase of adaptation, from adjusting work systems to developing learning models relevant to the demands of the times. In his view, getting through that period proved the resilience of the Unhas academic community, which was able to innovate despite constraints.
Prof. JJ emphasized that Unhas’s achievements over the past four years are not the result of individual effort but the fruit of collaboration among all elements of the campus. Synergy between units, and the support of university organs, faculty leadership, lecturers, administrative staff, students, and alumni, has been the main foundation of the institution’s many accomplishments.
In terms of access to education, Unhas has shown a strong commitment to inclusive education. From 2022 to 2026, more than 39,900 students received scholarships. Currently, 28 percent of Unhas students receive educational assistance, exceeding the national minimum standard of 20 percent.
In human resources, 2025 was an important milestone with the appointment of 730 Permanent Employees, a strategic step to strengthen organizational stability and career certainty for administrative staff. In addition, 393 employees also gained administrative certainty and legal recognition of their employment status.
Entering his second term, Prof. JJ has prepared a major agenda to strengthen Unhas’s global reputation. One part of it is strengthening a collaboration-based research ecosystem. To date, Unhas has formed 315 Thematic Research Groups (TRG), bringing together 1,523 internal researchers with 532 international partners from 77 countries.
Going forward, Unhas targets sending around 500 lecturers abroad for further study and bringing in 200 world-class visiting scholars. International student mobility will also be expanded through Double Degree, Joint Degree, and Credit Earning programs with leading universities around the world.
In addition, Unhas targets increasing the number of international students to a ratio of 2 percent of the total domestic student body, while optimizing alumni networks across strategic sectors to strengthen graduates’ competitiveness in the global job market.
Closing his address, Prof. JJ called on the entire Unhas family to keep moving together to bring the red campus onto the world stage.
“From the East of Indonesia, a sun of knowledge will rise to illuminate civilization,” he declared. (*/dhs)
Editor: Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.