(7/5) The Department of URP Universitas Diponegoro held again the International Lecture Series (ILS) for 2025. In this inaugural edition, Prof. Marlon G. Boarnet, Ph.D, Professor of Urban Planning from the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy and Director of METRANS Transportation Consortium, had the opportunity to deliver a public lecture with the theme “Sustainable Urban Mobility: New Insights and Developments”. The lecture, which was attended by students from Civil Engineering, Architecture, and URP Undip, was conducted at the Engineering Hall, Prof. Ir. Eko Budihardjo, M.Sc. Building, 5th Floor.
This event is part of the World Class University Program, an internationalization program launched by Universitas Diponegoro to increase global visibility and provide better international-standard education for its academics. According to the Vice Dean for Resources of the Faculty of Engineering Undip, Prof. Dr. Purnawan Adi Wicaksono, S.T., M.T., this program serves as a means for the academic community in the Faculty of Engineering Undip to develop their scientific horizons and collaborate to develop more advanced research.
“We are confident that today’s lecture will not only extend our understanding of sustainability but also inspire new thinking and collaboration across disciplines,” said Prof. Purnawan.

Vice Dean for Resources of the Faculty of Engineering Undip, Prof. Dr. Purnawan Adi Wicaksono, S.T., M.T. (number two from right), pictured with Prof. Marlon G. Boarnet (center), Prof. (HC Undip) Ir. Bambang Susantono, MCP, MSCE, Ph.D (number two from left), takes a picture together with the Head of the Undergraduate Program of URP and Civil Engineering, and participants of the public lecture.
Prof. (HC Undip) Ir. Bambang Susantono, MCP., MSCE., Ph.D., an academic from Undip and a national figure in the field of transportation and urban planning, was also present to moderate this public lecture. In his lecture, Prof. Boarnet emphasized the importance of research and the use of technology in the transportation sector to overcome urban mobility problems such as traffic congestion. According to him, precise and definitive measurement in transportation activities is crucial in developing more appropriate urban transportation management strategies.
“Congestion is a side effect of a thriving city. You can’t make congestion disappear, but you can manage it to be better,” said Prof. Boarnet.
Prof. Purnawan hoped that this public lecture would not only provide a wider international network for the Faculty of Engineering Undip, but also bring valuable perspectives for the academic community and for society in building a better environment in the future.
“Under this theme (Sustainable Urban Mobility), we will bring valuable perspectives on how urban mobility is evolving and how urban planners, policymakers, scholars, citizens, and students can contribute to building a smarter, greener, and more inclusive urban environment.”