Prof. Togar Simatupang Emphasizes Public Communication Strength at ULM Public Relations Forum
Banjarmasin – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) held a Public Relations Discussion and Strengthening Forum as a strategic effort to strengthen public communication capacity within the university. The event, which took place on Wednesday (December 3, 2025) at the ULM Rectorate Building, was attended by university leaders, faculty leaders, and public relations implementation units from all faculties and institutions within ULM.
The event was opened by Rector Prof. Dr. H. Ahmad Alim Bachri, S.E., M.Si., and was also attended by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology, Prof. Ir. Togar M. Simatupang, M.Tech., Ph.D., IPU, who provided strategic direction on public relations. Also present was national public relations practitioner Muhammad Arief, MMA, CDP, CPRP, as the keynote speaker. This forum was held to enhance ULM’s public relations capabilities in responding to public dynamics, building the institution’s reputation, and strengthening communication governance in the digital era and information disruption.
In his remarks, the ULM Rector stated that as a leader, he would continue to provide support for public relations activities, considering that public relations within an institution is a strategic communication bridge for building a positive image, good reputation, and harmonious relationships between the institution and its internal (employees) and external (community, media, government, etc.) publics.
“We hope that through improved public relations performance, all of ULM’s positive achievements can be well-publicized, thereby increasing ULM’s positive value in the public eye,” he said.
The Rector also mentioned ULM’s achievement in being nominated for three categories of the Komdigi Public Relations Award, as evidence of ULM’s increasingly recognized national public relations performance.
In his remarks, Prof. Togar emphasized the need for universities to build resilience through solid, credible communication, and the ability to fill the public sphere with positive information.
“We’re living in the post-truth era. The public sphere is not a neutral space, and our job is to ensure the right perspective is presented without engaging in negative campaigns. I appreciate ULM’s efforts—it serves as a role model for universities throughout Indonesia,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of public literacy for the entire academic community, improving human resource capacity, and the urgency of understanding good institutional governance, including through the ISO 37000 framework. Prof. Togar concluded by emphasizing that institutional resilience is built through the ability to recover from challenges. Referring to ULM’s journey, he stated that the university is currently in a positive recovery phase.
The session was continued by PR practitioner Muhammad Arief, who presented the topic “Resilient Campus Communication in the Face of Crisis and Digital Disruption: From Reputation to Revenue.” He explained strategies for building an institution’s reputation, recognizing potential crises, and transforming the power of communication into added value for the university.
The existence of a strong public relations team is key to maintaining a university’s reputation, especially amidst digital dynamics and complex publication challenges. Through this activity, ULM reaffirmed its commitment to building professional, credible, and adaptive public communications.
Through this Public Relations Discussion and Strengthening, Lambung Mangkurat University affirmed its role as a proactive institution in strengthening its public communications capacity, while simultaneously strengthening the university’s resilience in facing changes and challenges in the digital era. This activity represents a concrete step by ULM to maintain its reputation, build public trust, and continuously improve the quality of information governance.
