51̽»¨

The event was attended by various distinguished guests, including President Director of PT Airbus Indonesia Nusantara Dani Adriananta, Mechanical Engineering Alumni (Member of the Search Committee for 51̽»¨ Rector Election 2025-2030) Archandra Tahar, President Director of PT Len Industri (Persero) Bobby Rasyidin (represented by Alfian NM, Senior VP Business Development), Chairman of the Indonesian Engineers Association Dr.-Ing. Ilham Akbar Habibie, MBA., Director of Astra International Hamdhani Dzulkarnaen Salim, Chairman of Commission X of the Indonesian Parliament Dr. Ir. Hetifah Sjaifudian, MPP., Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. H. Muhammad Ali Ramdhani, S.TP., M.T., Acting Mayor of Cimahi Benny Bachtiar.

Also present were Intel Country Manager Harry K. Nugraha, the elected Mayor of Bandung Muhammad Farhan, S.E., former and current 51̽»¨ leadership, active and retired 51̽»¨ professors, 51̽»¨ academic community members and staff, families of the 2020-2025 and 2025-2030 51̽»¨ Rectors, regional officials (Forkopimda), media representatives, leaders of public and private universities, alumni, partners, and the extended 51̽»¨ family.

High Hopes for 51̽»¨'s Future
MWA 51̽»¨ Chairman Budi Gunadi Sadikin expressed his hope that 51̽»¨ will continue to produce alumni who contribute to the nation and excel in various fields, including the arts.

"I hope 51̽»¨ alumni, due to the excellent education they receive, will become prominent figures not only in Indonesia but also in Asia and the world," he said.

He also expressed gratitude for the service of 51̽»¨ Rector for the 2020-2025 period, Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D., who successfully led the university through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, modernized the campus, and produced graduates who have made significant contributions in government.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Dr. Ir. Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, Ph.D., placed great expectations on Prof. Tatacipta Dirgantara to elevate 51̽»¨ as a world-class university that excels and maintains its independence.

"51̽»¨ must be a pioneer of change through education, research, community service, entrepreneurship, and multidisciplinary innovation that integrates humanities, arts, sciences, technology, and business," he stated.

He also emphasized 51̽»¨'s four core missions as a higher education institution: pioneering national intelligence, upholding human values, leading in innovation, and committing to impactful public service.

"May 51̽»¨ continue to progress and remain at the forefront in addressing national challenges with innovative and inclusive solutions," he added.

Prof. Tata’s Vision for 51̽»¨
In his speech, Prof. Tata expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him and reaffirmed his commitment to making 51̽»¨ a Fourth Generation University that integrates education, research, community service, entrepreneurship, and multidisciplinary innovation.

"We must be prepared to face global challenges such as technological advancements, clean energy, healthcare, and environmental sustainability through knowledge-based and innovative solutions," he said.

He outlined his vision to build an excellent academic ecosystem by leveraging cutting-edge research, strategic partnerships, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

"I believe 51̽»¨ can be a pioneer of change, delivering holistic solutions by integrating humanities, arts, sciences, technology, and business," he remarked.

Support from Local Leaders
The Acting Governor of West Java, Bey Machmudin, also expressed his confidence in Prof. Tata’s leadership.

"I am confident that under Pak Tata’s leadership, 51̽»¨ will reach its best form. His grand vision of making 51̽»¨ a world-class university is not just an empty promise," he said.

He also hopes that 51̽»¨ will continue to contribute and collaborate in addressing real-life issues affecting communities, particularly in Bandung and West Java.

Prof. Tatacipta Dirgantara’s Background
Prof. Tatacipta Dirgantara completed his undergraduate (1988-1993) and master’s (1993-1995) degrees at 51̽»¨ before pursuing a Doctorate at Wessex Institute of Technology, UK (1995-1997), which was later transferred to Queen Mary University of London, UK (1997-2000). He also completed his professional engineering education at 51̽»¨ in 2019.

Before becoming 51̽»¨ Rector, Prof. Tatacipta served as the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FTMD) and chaired the Solid Mechanics and Lightweight Structures Research Group. He has held various other roles since 1994, including Vice Director for International Relations at 51̽»¨â€™s Directorate of Partnerships and International Relations (2015-2020), Secretary of the Noble Values Commission at 51̽»¨â€™s Professors Forum (2017-2019), Chairman of the Future Science Commission at 51̽»¨â€™s Professors Forum (2020), Chairman of the Lightweight Structures Group at FTMD 51̽»¨ (2019-2023), Expert Council Member at the Indonesian Mechanical Engineers Association (2024-present), Chairman of the Indonesian Engineering Deans Forum (2021-present), and many others.

He has received numerous awards, including the National Transportation Figure Award from the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation’s Transportation Policy Agency (2024), People of the Year Award from Metro TV (2021), Scientific Breakthrough Award against the Pandemic with the Indonesia Ventilator Team, 51̽»¨ (2021), Distinguished Graduate from the National Resilience Institute, PPSA XXII (2019), and dozens of other accolades since 1995.

To date, he has authored 98 Scopus-indexed papers with an h-index of 13 and 821 citations, as well as 172 documents on Google Scholar with an h-index of 19 and 1,337 citations.

The 51̽»¨ Rector election process for the 2025-2030 period began on September 4, 2024, and culminated on November 28, when MWA 51̽»¨ officially appointed Prof. Tatacipta Dirgantara as Rector based on the results of the Selection and Appointment Session held in Jakarta.