The Dean of FAIPG, Dr. Zahra Khusnul Lathifah, M.Pd.Si, officially sent off faculty representatives from the Primary School Teacher Education Study Program (PGSD), Faculty of Islamic Studies and Teacher Education (FAIPG), to conduct an academic visit to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). This visit aimed to strengthen international networks and initiate academic collaboration between higher education institutions across countries. The FAIPG delegation was led by the Head of Delegation, Dr. Helmia Tasti Adri, a PGSD FAIPG lecturer with expertise in science education, inclusive learning, and technology-based learning innovation.
This academic visit was intended to open and strengthen strategic collaboration opportunities between PGSD FAIPG and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, particularly in developing the tridharma of higher education, which includes education, research, and community service. During the academic meeting, both institutions discussed various potential areas of cooperation, including collaborative research, international scientific publications, visiting lecturer programs, academic exchanges for lecturers and students, and the development of a globally oriented primary teacher education curriculum that is adaptive to the challenges of 21st-century education.
In the academic discussion session, Dr. Helmia Tasti Adri presented the academic profile of PGSD FAIPG along with various research outcomes relevant to contemporary issues in primary education, such as strengthening literacy and scientific reasoning among primary school students, implementing STEM approaches, utilizing technology and gamification in learning, and developing inclusive learning practices in primary schools. The presentation received a positive response from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, as it was considered aligned with the current research and academic development focus at UKM.
On the same occasion, Prof. Dr. Tulus Suryanto, S.E., M.M., Akt., CA., CMA., CFA., PIA., ASEAN CPA, President of the ASEAN Academic Association (ASEANACA), shared his views on the importance of cross-border academic collaboration among universities. He emphasized that international academic collaboration is a fundamental foundation for improving the quality of higher education, expanding academic networks, and encouraging the emergence of collaborative research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge and the improvement of human resources across the ASEAN region. According to him, academic synergy among nations also plays a strategic role in strengthening the position of universities as centers of innovation and agents of transformation in addressing global challenges in education, science, and technology.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia expressed its appreciation for this academic visit initiative and conveyed its readiness to follow up the cooperation discussions to a more concrete stage. UKM considers that collaboration with PGSD FAIPG holds significant potential to enhance research quality, learning innovation, and the development of primary teacher education at both regional and international levels.
Through this academic visit and the initiation of cooperation, PGSD FAIPG reaffirmed its commitment to improving academic quality and expanding international networks. This activity is expected to be the first step toward establishing sustainable formal cooperation between PGSD FAIPG and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, while also contributing meaningfully to strengthening cross-border academic collaboration within the ASEAN region.