JAKARTA - National legal figures and former Constitutional Court (MK) Chairman, Prof. Dr. Arief Hidayat, were officially confirmed as Emeritus Professor of State Law at Borobudur University, Jakarta, Saturday (2/5/2026).
This event was attended by a number of national figures, including the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri, Mahfud MD, Ganjar Pranowo, to university officials. Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives and Chairman of the 15th MPR RI, Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet), gave high appreciation for this achievement.
Long Dedication to the Indonesian Constitution
In his remarks, Bamsoet emphasized that the title of Professor Emeritus attached to Prof. Arief Hidayat was the highest form of respect for his endless dedication in the world of constitutional law.
"His experience as the Chairman of the Constitutional Court provides a very rich perspective between theory and practice. This is a combination that is very needed in forming a generation of legal experts who are able to answer the challenges of the times," said Bamsoet at the Borobudur University Campus.
Prof. Arief Hidayat has an impressive track record:
Academic: Serving for decades at the Faculty of Law, Diponegoro University (Undip). Constitutional Judge: Serving from 2013 until retirement in February 2026. Chairman of the Constitutional Court: Elected for two terms (2015-2017 and 2017-2018).Strategic Contribution to Constitutional Rulings
As the 20th Speaker of the DPR RI, Bamsoet highlighted Prof. Arief's vital role in maintaining the independence of the Constitutional Court. During the 2015-2018 period, hundreds of cases of testing laws were decided under his leadership, which strengthened the principle of checks and balances in Indonesia.
"The decisions of the Constitutional Court during his leadership have become an important reference. This shows his great contribution in maintaining the dignity of the constitution and the constitutional rights of citizens," explained the Deputy Chairperson of the Golkar Party.
Answering Legal Challenges in the Digital Era
Bamsoet assessed the presence of Emeritus Professors such as Prof. Arief is crucial in the midst of increasing legal complexity today, ranging from digital economics to civil liberties issues.
According to him, the role of senior academics is very strategic to bridge the gap between legal theory in the classroom and actual practice in the field. Bamsoet hopes that this strengthening will encourage stronger collaboration between universities and state institutions.
"Strengthening the quality of human resources in the field of law is the key to the stability of democracy. We need a figure who is able to maintain a balance between idealism and reality such as Prof. Arief," concluded Bamsoet.
The inauguration was also attended by a number of national figures and academics, including: Megawati Soekarnoputri (5th President of the Republic of Indonesia), Mahfud MD & Ganjar Pranowo, Zudan Arif Fakrulloh (Head of BKN), Prof. Bambang Bernanthos (Rector of Borobudur University), Prof. Dr. Faisal Santiago (Director of Postgraduate Studies, Borobudur University), Yasonna Laoly, Hasto Kristiyanto, and other figures.
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