UIN Jakarta Inaugurates Prof. Husni Teja Sukmana as First AI Professor in PTKIN

Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN Online News—UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta officially inaugurated Prof. Husni Teja Sukmana, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., as Professor in the Field of Artificial Intelligence during the Open Senate Session for the Inauguration of Professors, held at the Harun Nasution Auditorium on Wednesday (January 14, 2026). This inauguration marks Prof. Husni as the first professor of artificial intelligence within State Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN).

His interest in academia was evident since his senior high school years, when he and several peers founded the Wahana Siswa Gemar Matematika. After graduating from high school, Prof. Husni continued his intellectual journey in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, supported by a scholarship from the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He pursued his undergraduate studies with dedication and discipline while working as a private tutor to support his daily needs.

Through his inaugural lecture entitled “The Utilization of Artificial Intelligence in Supporting National Sovereignty,” Prof. Husni emphasized that artificial intelligence should not be viewed merely as a technology but as a strategic instrument for safeguarding national sovereignty. He highlighted the importance of mastering data, algorithms, and infrastructure as the main foundations of national competitiveness in the digital era.

“Amid global digital transformation, sovereignty is no longer determined solely by territorial boundaries but also by control over data and infrastructure, particularly computing machines,” he stated.

He also presented several AI-based research initiatives derived from local issues that have been directly implemented in the field. According to him, AI-based sovereignty can only be achieved if technological development is grounded in national needs and managed independently.

“Today we are witnessing a major shift, where data must become a national asset and artificial intelligence a lever of national competitiveness. Countries that fail to master technology risk becoming mere consumers of technology and even losing control over their own resources. As a nation rich in natural resources, we should collectively begin to collect and store our own datasets, such as marine and tropical forest datasets, which may be uniquely found only in Indonesia,” he explained.

These views align with his academic background and experience. He completed his master’s degree in computer science at Sun Moon University, South Korea, and later earned his doctoral degree in 2009 with a dissertation entitled “A Study of Flexibility and Reusability in Integrated Prototyping for Embedded Systems.”

His expertise in information technology has led him to hold various institutional roles. Since 2022, he has served as Secretary General of the Association of Higher Education in Informatics and Computer Science. Previously, he held positions as Secretary of the Informatics Engineering Study Program and Head of the Center for Information Technology and Databases (PUSTIPAN) from 2010 to 2015.

Currently, Prof. Husni serves as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at UIN Jakarta, guided by leadership principles that emphasize independence, excellence, moderation, and impact. He is also actively involved in community and social engagement as vice chair of the Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) for the South Tangerang chapter.

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

(Hilya Hafiza S./Zaenal M./Syandana Mazna Aisyah)