President Yudhoyono Bestowed Professor Title of National Defense

Jakarta (Antara) - The Indonesian University of Defense has bestowed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with the title of professor of national defense. The University of Defense's Rector Vice Admiral Desi Albert Mamahit stated at the Defense Ministry's Office in Jakarta, on Wednesday, that President Yudhoyono will be the first professor on the national defense subject in Indonesia. According to Desi, conferring the academic title on President Yudhoyono was in accordance with Minister of Education and Culture's Rule Number 40/2012 on Bestowing Honoris Causa Professor in Universities. An official ceremony to bestow the professor title on President Yudhoyono will be held at the University of Defense in Indonesia Peace and Security Center (IPSC), Sentul, Bogor, West Java, on Thursday (June 12). During the ceremonial event, President Yudhoyono is scheduled to deliver an acceptance speech titled "The Changing Global Peace and Defense: Challenges for Indonesian Grand Strategy Making." "As a president, Mr. Yudhoyono also spends his time teaching and delivering public lectures in various forums and universities. He has succeeded in converting his tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge," Desi noted. Desi explained that tacit knowledge is an intangible science that comes from dedication and performance, using which, President Yudhoyono has developed Indonesian democracy into a more mature form. "His efforts to develop a more mature democracy has had a positive impact on the national defense strategy development, including the budgeting, defense industry policies and Indonesia's role as the world's peacekeeping force," he emphasized. Desi added that the University of Defense had considered President Yudhoyono as an ideal candidate to receive the professor title as he has expertise on national defense sciences, either from military or non-military education, both domestically and abroad. "President Yudhoyono also has an academic background, which is needed to be a professor, such as Master of Arts in Management from the Webster University, Missouri, U.S.," he noted. (*)