Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR) – Another piece of good news comes from Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR). Dr. Itsna Iftayani, S.Pd.I., M.A., a lecturer in the Psychology Study Program and Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Law, and Social Sciences (FPHIS) at UMPWR, has officially earned her doctoral degree from the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), Surabaya, on Monday (September 28, 2026).
Dr. Itsna earned her doctoral degree through a dissertation entitled “Model of Social Entrepreneurial Intention among Students of Muhammadiyah and 'Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions (PTMA) in Indonesia.” The research examines various psychological and educational factors that support the development of social entrepreneurial intention among university students.
In her research, Dr. Itsna examined several factors associated with the development of such intentions, including entrepreneurship education, empathy, social responsibility, and students’ belief in their own capabilities.
The study is particularly relevant to the growing need for higher education institutions to encourage students not only to develop academic abilities and professional skills, but also to recognize social issues around them and create solutions that benefit society.
“This research began with my interest in understanding how PTMA students can develop the intention to pursue entrepreneurship that is not solely profit-oriented, but also creates social benefits. That is why psychological and educational factors became important aspects of this research,” said Dr. Itsna.
There was a notable aspect of Dr. Itsna’s doctoral journey. She completed her doctoral studies without undergoing an open dissertation defense after fulfilling the equivalency requirements through publications in reputable international journals.
The three published articles that contributed to this achievement are:
For Dr. Itsna, these publications represent more than simply fulfilling an academic requirement. She hopes that the research conducted during her doctoral studies can continue to be developed and provide broader benefits.
“For me, these publications are an important part of my doctoral journey. They were not simply about fulfilling academic requirements, but also about making sure that the research findings can be read and utilized by a wider audience. I hope research on social entrepreneurship can continue to be developed, particularly in the context of PTMA students,” she said.
UMPWR Rector Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teguh Wibowo, M.Pd., welcomed Dr. Itsna’s achievement. He said that the growing number of faculty members holding doctoral degrees is part of UMPWR’s efforts to strengthen the university’s human resources and academic capacity.
“Alhamdulillah, UMPWR has once again added a faculty member with a doctoral degree. This is certainly something to be proud of. We hope this achievement will go beyond the academic title itself and be followed by stronger contributions to research, teaching, and the development of knowledge at UMPWR,” said the Rector.
He also encouraged this achievement to serve as motivation for other faculty members to continue improving their academic qualifications and scholarly productivity.
“The more faculty members who hold doctoral qualifications, the greater the opportunity for UMPWR to strengthen its academic and research culture. Therefore, we continue to encourage and provide opportunities for our faculty members to grow,” he added.
Echoing this, UMPWR Vice Rector II for General Administration and Finance, Dr. Muhamad Taufik, M.T., said that improving faculty qualifications is an important part of human resource development in higher education.
“Human resource development is a long-term investment. When faculty members improve their academic qualifications, the expectation is not only an improvement in their individual capacity, but also a positive impact on study programs, faculties, and the university as a whole,” he explained.
He hopes Dr. Itsna’s achievement will encourage other UMPWR faculty members to continue developing their competencies and pursue higher levels of education.
“Most importantly, after earning a doctoral degree, the knowledge and experience gained during the study should be brought back and contribute to the institution. That is what we hope to see from every academic achievement by UMPWR faculty members,” he added.
For Dr. Itsna, earning a doctoral degree marks not an ending, but the next step in continuing to learn and contribute. She plans to further develop research in psychology, particularly in the areas of social entrepreneurship and student development.
“There is certainly still a lot that I would like to do. I want to continue my research and develop the studies I have conducted so that they can contribute to the advancement of knowledge as well as education within the PTMA environment,” she concluded.
Dr. Itsna’s achievement adds to the growing number of UMPWR faculty members who have completed doctoral education. For the university, the increasing number of faculty members with doctoral qualifications is not merely a statistic, but part of UMPWR’s ongoing efforts to strengthen academic quality, research, and human resources. (akb/KP)
