UNU Jogja Lecturer Earns Professional Engineer Title, Strengthening Academic Excellence

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Dr. Ir. Meita Puspadewi, S.Pt., M.Sc., IPM, a lecturer in the Agribusiness Study Program at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), was officially inaugurated as a Professional Engineer during the Professional Engineer Program (PPI) Inauguration Ceremony, Batch I 2026, held by Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on Tuesday, July 14. The achievement reflects UNU Jogja's ongoing commitment to strengthening the professional competencies of its lecturers in support of high-quality education, research, and community engagement.

The inauguration marks another milestone in Meita's academic journey, having completed her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at UGM. Her doctoral research focused on the eco-efficiency of input resource utilization in smallholder dairy farming in Sleman Regency, proposing strategies to improve production efficiency through resource optimization, renewable energy utilization, and the development of more sustainable livestock farming systems.

According to Meita, the engineering profession requires not only scientific and technological expertise but also integrity in applying that knowledge responsibly.

"Earning the Professional Engineer title is a responsibility that encourages me to continue developing my competencies, uphold the engineering code of ethics, and create innovations that benefit society. As a lecturer, I also hope this achievement can inspire students to keep learning, act with integrity, and contribute to sustainable agricultural development," she said. 

Meita's commitment to advancing knowledge is also reflected in the numerous competitive research grants she has secured. She has served as both principal investigator and research team member in several Early Career Lecturer Research projects funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. Her research has addressed strategic issues ranging from agricultural institutions and youth farmer empowerment to value-added analysis of dairy products as part of Indonesia's agribusiness development.

Beyond fundamental research, Meita has also participated in the Kedaireka Matching Fund program, developing standardized agro-industrial technologies for natural cheese production within a circular economy framework. The collaborative initiative has produced not only academic outputs but also practical technological applications that benefit agribusinesses and livestock farmer groups.

In addition to her research activities, Meita actively contributes to community engagement through livestock farmer mentoring, agribusiness management training, and extension programs on livestock production systems and dairy product processing. These activities strengthen her role in bridging academic research with the needs of industry and local communities.

Within the academic environment, Meita serves as Secretary of the Agribusiness Study Program, editor of the Journal of Sustainable Agriculture Extension, and lecturer for courses in agribusiness, entrepreneurship, and the halal industry. These roles demonstrate her commitment to preparing graduates who possess not only strong academic competencies but also the ability to address the challenges of sustainable agriculture and food development.

Listiana Hidayati, Dean of the Faculty of Halal Industry at UNU Jogja, praised Meita's achievement, describing it as a reflection of her continuous commitment to academic and professional development.

"Dr. Meita has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to self-development through both higher education and research. Earning the Professional Engineer title marks another important milestone in her academic journey, and we are grateful for this achievement. We hope her experience and expertise will continue to inspire our students and enrich the academic environment within the Faculty of Halal Industry," said Listiana. 

This achievement further reinforces UNU Jogja's commitment as a university in Yogyakarta to enhancing faculty competencies through education, research, and innovation. The presence of lecturers with professional engineering qualifications is expected to strengthen the quality of learning, expand research collaborations, and generate innovations that deliver meaningful benefits to society. [Latifah]