Professor Dr. Astrid Kusumowidagdo is Vice Rector for Entrepreneurship, Academics, and Research at Universitas Ciputra, Surabaya, Indonesia. Her leadership focuses on strengthening academic quality, advancing interdisciplinary research, and embedding entrepreneurship within higher education. She supports educational innovation and international engagement, encouraging partnerships across universities, industry, and communities to connect complementary expertise and translate knowledge into meaningful societal contributions. Through these responsibilities, she brings academic inquiry and entrepreneurial thinking into institutional development, with attention to local needs and global opportunities.
Her research reflects this commitment to connecting knowledge with practice. She examines relationships between people and environments, focusing on sense of place, commercial spaces, cultural heritage, and the creative industries. Her work explores how design can preserve local identity, support livelihoods, and contribute to sustainability. These interests inform her perspective on collaborative research that respects cultural diversity, responds to community priorities, and generates lasting benefits.