Depok, April 23, 2025 – A professorial inauguration ceremony was held at the Makara Art Center UI in Depok to formally appoint Prof. Dr. Dra. Retno Kusumastuti Hardjono, M.Si., as a Professor at the Faculty of Administrative Sciences. The event also marked the inauguration of Prof. Desi Adhariani, S.E., M.Si., Ph.D., as a Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business, and Prof. Dr. drg. Krisnawati, Sp.Ort(K)., as a Professor at the Faculty of Dentistry.

The ceremony was led directly by the Rector of Universitas Indonesia (UI), Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU. Also in attendance were Prof. Haula Rosdiana, M.Si., representing the UI Board of Professors, and the Chair of the UI Academic Senate, Prof. Dr. dr. Budi Wiweko, SpOG, Subsp. FER, MPH, Int. Aff. RANZCOG, FICRM. The event was also attended by several deans, UI professors, and guest professors from various institutions.

In her inaugural speech, Prof. Retno presented the theme “Indonesia Renaissance: When Social and Cultural Innovation Builds the Nation’s Future Without Forgetting Local Wisdom.” The term Indonesia Renaissance refers to a condition where social and cultural values are revitalized into progressive, creative, and innovative ideas that drive transformation across sectors.

“The main challenge in developing social innovation in Indonesia lies in the lack of funding, whether from the private sector or the government. While cost is not everything in social innovation, funding availability is a crucial driver for its development and dissemination,” Prof. Retno explained in her speech.

She also offered several recommendations within the Indonesia Renaissance framework, including enhancing stakeholder collaboration, strengthening local capacities, and integrating evidence-based policy approaches.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by around 200 invited guests of Prof. Retno, including family, relatives, partners, and colleagues. The event was officially closed by the Rector of UI and followed by a congratulatory session for the newly inaugurated Professors.