Dr Handa Abidin, Edinburgh Law School alumnus, named Rector of President University

On 31 January 2024, Dr Handa Abidin, an alumnus of Edinburgh Law School, was appointed as Rector of President University in Jababeka, Indonesia. 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 said: "In the future, we are committed to increasing international student intake by 30%." 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.

Dr Abidin, a 38-year-old, currently holds the title of being the youngest rector in office amongst all Indonesian rectors in Indonesian universities that are accredited A/Excellent (the highest accreditation in Indonesia). 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, publishing the revised version of his thesis as a monograph titled ‘The Protection of Indigenous Peoples and Reduction of Forest Carbon Emissions: The REDD-Plus Regime and International Law’.

Besides his academic career, Dr Abidin is also a lawyer specialising in business law and climate change. 

To learn more about Dr Abidin's time at Edinburgh Law School, you can read his alumni profile.

Dr Handa Abidin - President University Profile