Dr Handa Abidin, who earned his PhD from the Edinburgh Law School, becomes Rector of President University in Jababeka, Indonesia. Image Dr Handa Abidin Earlier this year, Dr Handa Abidin, an alumnus of Edinburgh Law School, was appointed as Rector of President University in Jababeka, Indonesia. The role of Rector in Indonesia can be compared to that of Vice-Chancellor in the United Kingdom. Within Indonesia, President University has consistently held the top position for having the highest number of undergraduate international students annually for many years. In his speech during the inauguration ceremony, Dr Abidin elaborated on his strong commitment to making President University play a more significant role in diplomacy and enhance foreign exchange through education. He emphasised that as the number of international students increases, President University’s opportunity to strengthen diplomacy and earn foreign exchange through education becomes more pronounced. At the age of 38, Dr Abidin became the youngest rector in office amongst all Indonesian rectors in Indonesian universities that are accredited A/Excellent (the highest accreditation in Indonesia). Before taking up the role of Rector of President University, Dr Abidin worked over seven years as a Vice Rector of the same university, holding various types of responsibilities, including academics, student affairs, communication, and partnerships. He completed his undergraduate degree in law at the University of Indonesia and pursued his Master’s degree at the George Washington University Law School. He earned his PhD from the Edinburgh Law School in 2014. Aside from his academic career as a lecturer at President University Law School, Dr Abidin is also a practicing lawyer, specialising in business law and climate change. This article was published on 2024-10-28
