IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram marked a significant academic milestone by holding the Open Senate Session for the Conferment of Professorship 2025 on Tuesday, December 24, 2025, at the 3rd Floor Meeting Hall of the IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram Rectorate Building. The event was attended by the Director of Hindu Education, Directorate General of Hindu Community Guidance, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. I Ketut Sudarsana, S.Ag., M.Pd.H., representing Director General of Hindu Community Guidance, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, along with distinguished guests and members of the academic community of IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram.
The session was conducted in a solemn and dignified atmosphere, commencing with a traditional ceremonial dance entitled “Wageshwari Guna Paraga,” the grand dance of IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram. The performance symbolized the nobility of knowledge, wisdom, and academic dedication that form the foundation of higher education.
The Open Senate Session was officially opened by the Chairperson of the Senate of IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram, Prof. Dr. Drs. I Nyoman Murbawidana, M.Ag., marking the formal start of the conferment ceremony. The agenda then proceeded with the reading of the Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia concerning the Academic Promotion of Lecturers.
Based on the decree, Dr. Gusti Ngurah Ketut Putera, S.Ag., M.Pd. was formally conferred the title of Professor in the Field of Hindu Education Management. With this conferment, he becomes the 8th Professor at IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram, representing an important academic achievement that further strengthens the institution’s scholarly profile.
The conferment of this professorship has a strategic institutional impact, particularly in reinforcing academic leadership, research development, and the advancement of Hindu Education Management as a scientific discipline. The presence of a new Professor is expected to accelerate the quality of teaching, research productivity, academic mentoring, and policy-oriented studies that respond to contemporary challenges in Hindu education.
Looking ahead, this milestone supports IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram’s future academic direction, including the strengthening of postgraduate programs, the expansion of collaborative research at national and international levels, and the enhancement of the institution’s contribution to educational transformation rooted in dharmic values and local wisdom. The Open Senate Session thus serves not only as a ceremonial tradition, but also as a reflection of IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence and global engagement.
BY:DKS