The University of Indonesia (UI) has officially appointed Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia (FTUI), for the 2025–2029 term. The announcement was made by UI Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU, during the final selection and appointment event at the Science Techno Park Building, UI Campus, Depok. Prof. Kemas was chosen through a rigorous selection process, including an assessment conducted on January 20–21, 2025. The evaluation involved the UI Rector, Vice-Rectors, Heads of Units, and a panel of experts comprising senior academics and members of the UI Board of Trustees.
As FTUI’s youngest Professor of Architecture, Prof. Kemas is renowned for his academic contributions and visionary leadership. He was the Head of FTUI’s Department of Architecture (2007–2013) and Chairperson of the Indonesian Association of Higher Education in Architecture (APTARI) from 2010–2013. On an international scale, Prof. Kemas has actively participated in research collaborations with leading universities such as Cardiff University and the University of Florida. He also spearheaded the Vernadoc Indonesia initiative, focusing on documenting vernacular architecture.
Prof. Kemas’s expertise in vernacular architecture is evident in his efforts to preserve and document Indonesia’s traditional architecture and design heritage areas. He has also integrated sustainable architectural principles with technology, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), for environmental and building monitoring, establishing himself as a figure highly adaptable to technological advancements.
In his vision and mission presentation, Prof. Kemas emphasized his commitment to elevating FTUI as a globally competitive engineering faculty with a tangible impact on society. His vision is supported by strategies based on five main pillars:
- Enhancing access to and the quality of inclusive, internationally standardized engineering education.
- Producing high-impact research and innovation relevant to global needs.
- Empowering technology-based entrepreneurship to foster innovative startups.
- Strengthening global competitiveness through international collaboration.
- Transforming organizational culture and governance through digitalization.
These strategies aim to position FTUI as an “Excellent” centre for education and research, “Empowered” through meaningful contributions to the nation, and “Cultured” by reinforcing adaptive academic values.
To achieve these targets, Prof. Kemas has outlined strategic initiatives, including increasing the number of international students, integrating technologies like AI and IoT into the curriculum, developing modern facilities such as 24-hour laboratories and coworking spaces, and expanding research networks with top global universities. FTUI is expected to grow into a leading engineering faculty with a significant national and international impact through this approach.
UI Rector, Prof. Heri Hermansyah, expressed his hopes that Prof. Kemas will lead FTUI to achieve more outstanding excellence and significantly contribute to national development. “With his vision and experience, I am confident that FTUI will excel, empower, and uphold cultural values,” said the UI Rector.
As a visionary and innovative leader, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan is expected to position FTUI as an influential centre for engineering education globally while positively impacting the broader community.
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Office of Public Communication
Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia
