Prof. Gun Gun Heryanto Inaugurated as Professor of Political Communication at UIN Jakarta

Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN Online News—The Open Senate Session of Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta officially inaugurated seven full professors, including Prof. Dr. Gun Gun Heryanto, M.Si., as Professor in the field of Political Communication. The ceremony was attended by the Rector of UIN Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., and the Chair of the UIN Jakarta Senate, Prof. Dr. KH. Dede Rosyada, M.A., along with members of the university leadership, at the Harun Nasution Auditorium on Wednesday (January 14, 2026).

Prof. Gun Gun’s academic journey began with his undergraduate studies in Islamic Broadcasting Communication at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta. He later pursued a master’s degree in communication at the University of Indonesia and earned his doctorate from Universitas Padjadjaran in 2013.

This extensive academic background formed the foundation of his inaugural lecture titled “Symbolic Convergence in Contemporary Digital Political Communication: A Communicative Action Approach to Strengthening the New Public Sphere in the Era of Cyberdemocracy.” In his address, he highlighted the shift in political realities, which are no longer shaped solely by formal institutions but increasingly through symbolic interactions in digital spaces. He presented key data showing that in 2025, Indonesia’s internet users reached 229.4 million people, or approximately 80.66 percent of the total population.

“I believe that one of the most important channels of change, now and in the future, is digital media. There are many examples of countries that have strengthened—or conversely weakened—their democracies by failing to pay attention to public voices,” he stated.

He also cautioned that the positive impact of cyberdemocracy can only be realized if users possess adequate capacity, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking as the driving force of democratic change.

“In principle, democracy will benefit positively from social media only if the citizens who use it are empowered. By empowered, I mean first and foremost having critical reasoning, because all democratic movements must begin with the mind,” he concluded.

In addition to serving as Dean of the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication Sciences (FDIKOM) at UIN Jakarta, Prof. Gun Gun is widely known as a dedicated and productive scholar. Beyond academia, he is also recognized for maintaining a healthy work-life balance through a disciplined lifestyle, including regular running.

National figures from government institutions, state agencies, academia, and media practitioners conveyed their congratulations on Prof. Gun Gun Heryanto’s achievement of the highest academic rank. They acknowledged him as a diligent intellectual and a skilled communicator who continues to make meaningful contributions to the field of political communication in Indonesia.

The full inaugural lecture can be viewed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/rMhZXzVNBaU?si=OnP1iY--nU6BaAtx.

(Amanda Fathiyah A./Zaenal M./Syandana Mazna Aisyah./Information and Public Relations Center)