UNAIR NEWS Graduates of 51动漫 (UNAIR) consistently manifest leadership excellence on the national stage. Dr. Dra. Soerjantini Rahaju, M.A., Psychologist, a distinguished alumna of UNAIR檚 doctoral program in Psychology, earned her Ph.D. in 2020. She currently serves as Vice Dean I of the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Surabaya (UBAYA), for the 2023 to 2027 term.
Organizational leadership and clinical practice
Dr. Rahaju檚 leadership has been recognized by professional psychology associations at both regional and national levels. Her leadership was further solidified in May 2024 when she was inaugurated as Chair of the Indonesian Psychological Association (HIMPSI) East Java for the 2024 to 2028 term. In addition, she has been serving as Secretary of the Indonesian Psychology Professional Certification Institute (LSP) for the 2021 to 2025 period.
As a practitioner, she specializes in clinical psychology, with a focus on marital issues and increasingly complex family dynamics in the modern era. 淚 concentrate my services on marital psychology and family dynamics, including providing counseling through the UBAYA Center for Psychological Consultation and Services (PKLP). As a certified professional family counselor, I am also prepared to address various contemporary household issues, she explained.
Research innovation for younger generations
Dr. Rahaju has maintained a prolific research trajectory producing various studies between 2023 and 2024 that address contemporary issues relevant to younger generations. One of her 2024 studies examines K-pop fandom, specifically the correlation between parental, filial dynamics and celebrity worship. She has also explored the phenomenon of the quarter-life crisis in relation to young adults readiness for marriage. Her findings are expected to serve as valuable references for counselors working with Generation Z.
Family harmony and sustainable well-being
In addition, Dr. Rahaju actively researches family harmony, including phenomena such as commuter marriage or long-distance marriage (LDM).
淭his condition is becoming increasingly common due to career demands and the high mobility of urban communities. As an academic at UBAYA, I have contributed to developing an Indonesian-based instrument to measure family quality of life. The availability of a culturally relevant tool is crucial for producing diagnoses that align with Eastern societal values, she said.
Dr. Rahaju檚 active contributions reflect progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3 on Good Health and Well-being through her work in clinical psychology and family mental health, as well as Goal 4 on Quality Education through her commitment to advancing academic scholarship in psychology. Her achievements demonstrate how UNAIR alumni continue to make meaningful contributions to improving the quality of life in society.
Author: Fauziah Kandela
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
