BANJARMASIN – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) will soon have a new rector for the 2026–2030 term. Dr. dr. Iwan Aflanie, Sp.F., S.H., M.Kes., was elected rector after receiving the highest number of votes in an election conducted by the ULM Senate.
The election was completed in a single round. Iwan received 59 votes, defeating the two other candidates, Prof. Ahmad, who received 32 votes, and Dr. Rusmansyah, who received one vote.
Chairman of the ULM Senate, Prof. Lufti, said the election involved 60 Senate members. In addition to the votes of Senate members, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology also had voting rights, carrying a 35 percent weight, equivalent to 32 votes.
All available voting rights were used during the election. No Senate member abstained from voting.
“In the end, we successfully completed the election process,” Prof. Lufti said.
He confirmed that all stages of the election proceeded smoothly and without any issues. According to him, the candidates also remained committed to working together to move ULM in a better direction.
Prof. Lufti said all of the candidates had accepted the election results graciously.
“Both the winner and those who lost have accepted the results wholeheartedly,” he said.
He added that the various ideas presented by the candidates during the election process would serve as input for ULM’s future development. The Senate would also assist the elected rector in implementing the programs he presented during the election process.
Meanwhile, after being declared the elected rector, Iwan immediately began preparing several initial steps. One of his priorities is to rebuild unity among all members of the university community following the completion of the election.
“My first step is to strengthen communication and build reconciliation with all parties at ULM,” Iwan said.
Iwan emphasized that building and developing ULM is not something a rector can accomplish alone. He said the support and involvement of the entire academic community are essential to implementing various programs and improving the university’s quality.
One of the agendas that will receive his attention is improving university governance through the implementation of good university governance.
Iwan said five principles would serve as the foundation for managing ULM: transparency, accountability, responsibility, independence, and fairness.
“We will first study the various matters that are genuinely necessary,” he stressed.
He also assured that his relationship with the other candidates would remain strong. Iwan said that from the beginning, all candidates had been committed to maintaining a sense of camaraderie within the ULM community.
He said his relationships with Prof. Ahmad, Dr. Rusmansyah, and Prof. Mutia Elma remained good. Even after the election, they continued to interact warmly and joke with one another.
“Prof. Ahmad, Mr. Rusmansyah, Prof. Mutia Elma, and I have had no problems from the beginning. We remain friends and continue to joke around. Even just now, we were still joking together,” he said.
Iwan is scheduled to be inaugurated as Rector of ULM on October 5, 2026, in Jakarta.
Daffa Ibrahim
