Universitas PGRI Madiun (UNIPMA) once again marked an important history in its academic journey. Two of its best lecturers were officially inaugurated as Full Professors, adding to the list of accomplished academics at the campus. They are Prof. Dr. Bambang Eko Hari Cahyono, M.Pd., Full Professor in the Field of Language and Literature Learning at the Postgraduate School, and Prof. Dr. Marheny Luckytasari, M.Pd., Full Professor in the Field of Bioscience Learning Innovation.

The inauguration ceremony took place solemnly at the UNIPMA Graha Cendekia Building on Thursday (6/11) yesterday, attended by members of the academic community, officials from LLDIKTI Region VII East Java, and local government representatives. The Chairman of the UNIPMA Senate, Prof. Dr. H. Parji, M.Pd., personally led the open Senate session for the inauguration of the two professors. He announced that UNIPMA now has four Full Professors and 100 Doctors from various fields of science.

"Currently, UNIPMA has four Full Professors and one hundred Doctors. Our hope is that in the future, many more Full Professors will be born from UNIPMA," said Prof. Dr. H. Parji, M.Pd., during the inauguration of the two professors.

Prof. Dr. Marheny Lukitasari, M.Pd., or affectionately called Ibu Heny, became a focus of the academic public because she is UNIPMA's first and youngest female Full Professor at the age of 51. In her scientific oration titled "Bioscience Learning Innovation to Encourage High-Level Thinking Skills in 21st-Century Learning," she emphasized the crucial role of a professor not only to focus on academic spaces but also to actively contribute to society.

As a bioscience expert, Prof. Dr. Marheny Lukitasari, M.Pd., developed an instrument to measure the effectiveness of applying the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics with Design Thinking (STEM-DT) learning model. This model has become a reference for the Ministry of Education as a modern approach to hone critical thinking and 21st-century skills. One of its applications is through a waste management project in Adiwiyata schools, where students not only learn science and technology but also play a role in environmental preservation.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Bambang Eko Hari Cahyono, M.Pd., was inaugurated as a Full Professor in the Field of Language and Literature Learning. This senior lecturer, who has served for 38 years, presented his research in a scientific oration titled "Interdisciplinary Approach in Learning Beginning Reading and Vocabulary in Inclusion Schools." He highlighted the importance of synergy between language and educational psychology to support the development of children with special needs in inclusive schools.

"Children with special needs require teachers who are sensitive and understand their different ways of learning. With an interdisciplinary approach, learning can become more meaningful and inclusive," explained Prof. Dr. Bambang Eko Hari Cahyono, M.Pd.

The Rector of UNIPMA, Dr. Supri Wahyudi Utomo, M.Pd., expressed appreciation for the extraordinary achievement of the two professors. He judged that this inauguration is an important milestone in strengthening research, community service, and improving the quality of education within the campus environment.

"The presence of these two new Full Professors will expand the space for academic collaboration at UNIPMA. We target to produce five new Full Professors within the next two to three years. In addition, UNIPMA is also preparing two new study programs, namely the Doctoral (S3) level and a professional program," he explained.

Besides this, UNIPMA also successfully achieved the predicate of 1st ranked Excellent Campus in two categories at once: Student Achievements and Cooperation, in the LLDIKTI Region VII Excellent Campus Award Year 2025. This achievement affirms UNIPMA's position as a superior, competitive higher education institution committed to producing professional educators.

UNIPMA Professor Profiles:

1. 3rd UNIPMA Full Professor

• Prof. Dr. Bambang Eko Hari Cahyono, M.Pd.

• Place, Date of Birth: Magetan, June 29, 1962

• Education:

  • S1 Indonesian Language Education – Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta

  • S2 Indonesian Language Education – Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta

  • S3 Indonesian Language Education – Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta

2. 4th UNIPMA Full Professor

• Prof. Dr. Marheny Luckytasari, M.Pd.

• Place, Date of Birth: Madiun, May 14, 1974

• Education:

  • S1 Agricultural Cultivation – Universitas Brawijaya

  • S2 Biology Education – Universitas Negeri Malang

  • S3 Biology Education – Universitas Negeri Malang