Step outside the classroom: A UIII PhD Student’s Mentorship to Combat Carbon Emissions
Step outside the classroom: A UIII PhD Student’s Mentorship to Combat Carbon Emissions
By Achmad Jatnika
Between her endless research and tight deadlines, Syifa Mufiedatussalam, a PhD candidate from the Faculty of Education, still chooses to spend her free time giving back to the community and working on a social program.
She has joined forces with Avocain, an empowering youth startup, through the Youth Accelerator Fund (YAF) program, in collaboration with PLAN Indonesia, to address agricultural waste and carbon emissions in Riau.
The initiative focuses on equipping the younger generation with the tools to research, innovate, and draft actionable policy briefs. Their primary target? Finding sustainable solutions for the massive amounts of oil palm tree trunk waste (limbah batang sawit) plaguing the region.
Throughout the program, Syifa supported them by helping develop ideas, conduct research, and develop solutions grounded in local potential, providing global insight and inspiration, and encouraging the creation of high-quality, applicable program outputs.
Her mentorship focused heavily on ensuring the final outputs were not just theoretical exercises, but high-quality, applicable programs that local governments and stakeholders could readily implement.
The collaborative efforts bore major fruit. Under Syifa’s guidance, the youth cohort successfully produced a comprehensive policy brief titled “Strategi Kolaboratif Pengelolaan Limbah Batang Sawit untuk Menekan Emisi Karbon di Riau” (Collaborative Strategies for Palm tree trunk Waste Management to Suppress Carbon Emissions in Riau).
The Policy brief aims to encourage attention and concrete action from various parties, from the government, business actors, and farmer communities, to work together to address the gaps in palm tree waste management in Riau.
Specifically, this policy brief aims to identify the root causes hindering palm tree biomass waste management and to formulate policy recommendations that can be implemented immediately by relevant stakeholders.
“I felt incredibly honored to be part of this program and to meet such high-potential Indonesian youth,” Syifa shared, reflecting on her mentoring journey. “They are hard workers and think outside the box; I learned a lot from them,” she said.
She hopes that there are many start-ups and NGOs that have this kind of initiative. “I hope the young people who attend this event can share their knowledge with other friends and make an impact,” she closed.
I Once Admired the Facilitators — Now I Am One
I Once Admired the Facilitators — Now I Am One
By Uswatun Hasanah
Some people inspire you without knowing it. I still remember sitting in a room in 2017 as a participant in Camp SOAR 1, a program by RELO (Regional English Language Office of the U.S. Embassy) for 20 selected English teachers across Indonesia — watching the facilitators, and thinking “ how did they get there?” And from that moment, I knew I wanted to be one of them. In May 2026, I was no longer the one watching. I was the one standing in front of the room, hoping to be someone’s reason to dream.
That room was the ACCESS English Camp 2026 — a part of the ACCESS Program, a two-year English learning program organized by RELO (Regional English Language Office of the U.S. Embassy) and IIEF in collaboration with selected host institutions across several cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Ambon, Balikpapan, Malang, Padang, and Surabaya. Students are selected from different schools and study English twice a week at their respective host institutions. In Jakarta, that host institution is UKRIDA (Universitas Kristen Krida Wacana), guided by ACCESS teachers selected by RELO and IIEF.
The camp was held from 22–24 May 2026 at Highland Park Bogor, as one of the final programs before students graduate from ACCESS. Over three days, students joined activities designed not only to strengthen their English skills, but also to develop critical thinking, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and global awareness. The camp also introduced students to American values and culture as preparation for future opportunities, including studying in the United States.
When I saw the ACCESS Camp facilitator opening, it felt personal immediately. The program was organized by RELO and IIEF — two institutions that had already been part of my story long before this moment. In 2011, I received a U.S. government scholarship under the Indonesian English Language Study Program (IELSP), managed by IIEF, which brought me to Virginia Tech in the United States. Later, I was also a Fulbright FLTA awardee at Ohio University. These experiences made me familiar with the values that U.S. government programs consistently carry — leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, and cultural exchange. So when I saw the facilitator opening, it did not feel like a new opportunity. It felt like coming back to something I already knew and loved.
That was also why I felt confident applying even though I did not fully meet the residency requirement. I am from Serang, Banten , not Jakarta. But I believed I understood the spirit of this program deeply enough to contribute. So I applied anyway.
I still clearly remember the interview. At the end, the interviewers did not ask for a closing statement. But I asked if I could give one anyway. Looking back, it was probably the best decision I made that day.
I told them about Camp SOAR 1, about Virginia Tech, about my Fulbright at Ohio University. I told them I was a public speaker who had stood on local, national, and international stages. And then I said something I genuinely believed: that based on everything I had experienced, I was the best fit for this role.
I was not trying to show off. I just wanted them to understand how much this meant to me, and how ready I was. Sometimes the interview questions alone cannot carry all of that. So, you ask for one more minute, and you say it yourself.
As the facilitator, I was responsible for designing the overall activities. Such as the key sessions, ice breakers, and outdoor games. But honestly, the role taught me something I did not fully expect. Facilitation is not just about having a plan. It is about reading the room, noticing when the energy drops, knowing when to push and when to just let the students talk. There were moments during the camp where the best thing I could do was step back and watch them figure things out themselves. Those were actually my favourite moments.
One of the most memorable parts of the camp was a moment I did not see coming. During the root cause analysis and project pitching activities, students were asked to identify social problems around them. I expected the usual topics — bullying, environmental issues, and sure enough, those came up, including a very passionate discussion about the trash situation in Bantar Gebang. But then several students raised something that made me stop and think. They identified the irresponsible use of artificial intelligence as one of the biggest social problems among young people today.
I was not expecting that. These are teenagers. And they were already thinking critically about AI, not just as a cool technology but as something that could cause real harm if used without responsibility. It was a small moment in the middle of a busy camp, but it stayed with me. It reminded me that sometimes, as educators, we walk into a room thinking we are there to teach. And then the students quietly teach us something instead.
Looking back, becoming an ACCESS English Camp facilitator felt like completing a long circle in my educational journey. Years ago, I sat in a room admiring facilitators who created meaningful experiences for others. In May 2026, I had the chance to be that person for someone else. This experience reminded me that dreams sometimes take years to come true — but they are never meaningless. They quietly shape the choices we make, the skills we build, and the person we become. Until one day, we find ourselves standing in the place we once only imagined from afar.
UIII Launches New Institute with Policy Forum on Flexible Education for Out-of-School Children
UIII Launches New Institute with Policy Forum on Flexible Education for Out-of-School Children
June 9, 2026
By Alpha Amirrachman, Ph.D.
DEPOK, June 8, 2026 — The Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII), in collaboration with the Center for Education Standards and Policy (PSKP), Agency for Primary and Secondary Education Policy (BKPDM), Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, held a policy discussion today on flexible education for out-of-school children, while officially launching the UIII Institute of Transformative Education and Society (UIII ITES).
Held at the Lecture Hall on the 6th Floor of the UIII Rectorate Building, the event gathered policymakers, development partners, university leaders, lecturers, researchers, and students to discuss one of Indonesia’s persistent education challenges: how to bring children and youth outside the formal school system back into meaningful learning pathways.
Opening the forum, Irsyad Zamjani, PhD, Head of PSKP, welcomed the collaboration between the ministry and UIII. He stressed that out-of-school children, or Anak Tidak Sekolah (ATS), should be seen as a shared national challenge requiring evidence, coordination, and institutional partnership. Through the forum, he hoped participants could learn from Indonesian and global perspectives and better understand flexible education as a response to diverse learner needs. He also congratulated UIII on the launch of UIII ITES and invited the institute to work with the ministry on strategic education policy issues.
In his remarks, UIII Rector Prof. Jamhari Makruf, PhD, thanked Irsyad and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for supporting the event. He also congratulated Amich Alhumami, PhD, who has been appointed Director of UIII ITES. The Rector said Amich’s long experience in national development planning at Bappenas would enrich UIII’s policy research agenda and expand partnerships with global organizations. Prof. Jamhari then officially launched the institute by striking the gavel three times.
The discussion was moderated by Amich Alhumami, who thanked Rector Jamhari, Assoc. Prof. Syafiq Hasyim, Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, and Irsyad Zamjani. He gave special acknowledgment to Vice Rector Syafiq for entrusting him with the leadership of the newly established institute.
The first panelist, Dr. Suhaeni Kudus, an education specialist from UNICEF focusing on out-of-school children and non-formal education, situated the issue within a global and regional context. She emphasized that flexible learning pathways are increasingly important because many children, especially adolescents, cannot be reached through rigid school-based systems. Drawing on UNICEF’s perspective, she highlighted that economic pressure, disability, geography, child marriage, and household responsibilities often intersect, making flexible, recognized, and quality-assured learning options essential.
Dr. Anis Masykur, MA, Head of the Subdirectorate of Equivalency Education at the Directorate of Diniyah Education and Islamic Boarding Schools, Ministry of Religious Affairs, presented the ministry’s strategies for preventing and addressing ATS through religious education institutions.
He discussed the role of madrasahs, pesantren-based equivalency education, child-friendly madrasahs, inclusive madrasahs, and education assistance programs. He also stressed the importance of stronger data systems, including EMIS, to identify children at risk and support targeted interventions.
Dipl.-Ing Cahya Kusuma Ratih, S.S.T., M.T. Director of SEAMEO SEAMOLEC, framed flexible learning as an equity mechanism. She explained that open and distance learning could expand access for children constrained by location, mobility, work, family responsibilities, or other barriers. Presenting SEAMOLEC’s regional experience, she emphasized digital equity, quality assurance, learning analytics, and cross-sector collaboration so flexible education becomes a credible part of the education ecosystem, not a second-tier pathway.
From PSKP, analyst Dr. Esy Andriyani presented findings from a study on the prevention and re-engagement of out-of-school children in Indonesia. She noted that Indonesia’s challenge is not only access, but also fragmented coordination, uneven local implementation, and weak integration between data, policy, and service delivery. The study identified promising practices in several districts, while calling for stronger subnational policy adoption, targeted interventions, performance-based evaluation, and ecosystem-oriented prevention.
The final speaker, Ihsan-Isah Imam Zaman, an international student from the Philippines at UIII, offered a comparative perspective on the Philippines’ Alternative Learning System. He explained how the system provides second-chance education through modular, community-based, and flexible learning arrangements. He also noted persistent challenges, including underfunding, limited facilities, teacher shortages, digital divides, and weak links between equivalency programs and post-program opportunities.
The presentations were followed by a lively Q&A session, with participants raising questions on governance, financing, data interoperability, quality assurance, and the recognition of non-formal learning. More than one hundred participants attended, including UIII leaders, Faculty of Education lecturers, students, and international students from several Global South countries who actively joined the discussion.
The forum was hosted by Rahayu Rizky Prathamie, MA, a PhD student at UIII’s Faculty of Education, and concluded with a group photo. Beyond launching UIII ITES, the event signaled UIII’s growing role as a convenor of evidence-based dialogue on inclusive, flexible, and transformative education.
Thriving in Academia: Lessons on Academic Productivity and Integrity from Dr. Soeharto
Thriving in Academia: Lessons on Academic Productivity and Integrity from Dr. Soeharto
June 9, 2026
By Aliva Erhan
A screenshot of an international bank transfer flashed across the screen during Keynote Session 2 on the first day of the Graduate Forum and Colloquium 2026, Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026. The amount was more than two thousand euros. The audience looked on with curiosity as Dr. Soeharto used that image to illustrate a simple yet powerful point, that sustained research productivity can open doors to opportunities that many early-career researchers might never expect.
Dr. Soeharto from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) was the second keynote speaker on the first day of the Graduate Forum and Colloquium 2026, organized by the Faculty of Education UIII. Discussing “Thriving in Academia: Maximizing Research Productivity with Integrity,” he invites students and lecturers to see academic productivity from a broader point of view, not only massive numbers of publications, but also includes intellectual habits, meaningful collaboration, and commitment to academic integrity. Drawing on his experience as a researcher affiliated with BRIN, Johannes Kepler University in Austria, and Azerbaijan State Economic University (UNEC), he reflected on building an academic career across institutions and countries. What is remarkable is that his bright achievements are built on simple yet consistently performed practices.
Reading as Knowledge Foundation and Collaboration
Dr. Soeharto emphasized that reading is the core foundation that supports the entire academic process. He encouraged participants to keep up with the latest research developments through reputable journals and to make reading a sustainable habit. He also demonstrated how reading activities can be a collective process. He initiated an online reading group involving researchers, colleagues, and students from various institutions. Through this group reading activity, scientific articles can be discussed together, and thus, everyone gains more, as understanding can be deepened, assumptions can be questioned, and new perspectives can emerge through dialogue.
For him, good research productivity hardly comes from fully independent work. That is why, beyond reading, he also emphasizes the importance of building academic connections through mentoring and serving as a reviewer. Academic productivity can grow more through mutually supportive relationships.
The importance of Publication Mapping
Networking and collaboration alone, however, are not enough. Academic productivity also requires careful planning. This is what sometimes escapes the attention of the academic community. Dr Soeharto emphasized the importance of having publication mapping and planning, that each publication needs to be monitored in its progress; from the status, revision progress, submission target, to the predicted publication date. This can greatly facilitate researchers in getting a big picture of what they are working on, avoiding abandoned projects, maintaining productivity direction, and more strategically managing their time.
The Art of Balancing Academic and Personal Life
Within the discussion on publication targets, research collaboration, and strategies for maintaining productivity, Dr. Soeharto also included a more personal reflection. Through a photo with his wife and child displayed on the screen, he shared a principle that has guided him throughout his academic journey, “Family comes first, but academic responsibilities and contributions still matter.” This message serves as a reminder that, academic productivity does not have to be built at the expense of personal life. Success in the academic world should go hand in hand with responsibilities toward family and life outside the campus.
AI Navigation and Research Ethics Boundaries
The next topic that also caught the participants’ attention was the use of AI in the academic world. For a long time, Dr. Soeharto has been advocating the importance of ethical AI use in academic writing. AI is a tool that can help researchers work more effectively, but there are still boundaries that must not be crossed. AI cannot be listed as an author, cannot replace the peer review process, and its use must be disclosed transparently when relevant. In addition, Dr. Soeharto also repeatedly emphasized the importance of research integrity. He presented several examples of ethical violations that had attracted public attention and explained the importance of the ethical clearance process in research. Meaningful academic productivity must be built on the credibility and scientific honesty that underlie it.
Maximizing Global Opportunities
In addition to publications, participants are also invited to take advantage of various academic development opportunities, including research grants, mentoring programs, and international conferences. In his presentation, he introduced various grant schemes available through BRIN and encouraged participants to regularly monitor research funding information through the National Research and Innovation Funding Portal (RISPROV/RISNOV) BRIN. Dr. Soeharto also shared his experiences attending global scientific forums and introduced travel grant opportunities that can help students and young researchers participate in international conferences. One of the examples he presented was the Junior Researchers of EARLI (JURE) Conference, a prestigious forum for young researchers in the field of education.
Finally, the lessons from Dr. Soeharto’s session were surprisingly simple. Thriving in academia is about cultivating habits that sustain long-term growth. As the session came to a close, participants were reminded that academic success is measured not only by what researchers produce, but also by how they produce it.
Graduate Forum 2026 Highlights Equity, Access, and Belonging in Education
Graduate Forum 2026 Highlights Equity, Access, and Belonging in Education
June 9, 2026
By Luqyana
The Faculty of Education at the International Islamic University of Indonesia held its 3rd Graduate Forum on May 3–4, 2026. This event served as a platform for Indonesian and international students in the Faculty of Education to present one of the research outcomes they had produced during their studies at UIII.
However, this event was not merely a presentation stage but also a space for every student to network with students from various cohorts, including both PhD and Master’s programs. One of the FoE lecturers serving as a coordinator for this year’s Graduate Forum is Ibu Afifah Muharikah, PhD. Additionally, this event is a collaboration between the 3rd PhD cohort and Master’s students who are members of Estudia, the student association of the Faculty of Education at UIII.
The theme of this Graduate Forum is “Inclusive Futures: Equity, Access, and Belonging in Education.” This message also serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusive education for everyone, regardless of their background. Everyone has the right to equal access to education. Therefore, this issue was addressed through various research contributions, organized into presentation panels with sub-themes including Education and Society, Educational Policy, Management and Leadership, Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning, as well as Educational Assessment and Evaluation.
Prior to the panel sessions, the event also featured Keynote Speakers from diverse backgrounds. On the first day, Dr. Jumana Hazim ElSamna shared her knowledge, insights, and experiences on Academia and Resilience, with her discussion focusing on Education and Resilience in Times of Crisis. She is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Islamic Studies at UIII and hails from Palestine.
Additionally, the next speaker was Soeharto, PhD, a researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), who discussed “Productivity and Academia” while addressing how to maximize research productivity with integrity.
On the second day, the keynote session featured an insider from the Bahá’í Community, dr. Nasrin Astani, who shared insights on Inclusive Education and Minority Faiths from the Bahá’í Community’s perspective on equity, access, and belonging in diverse contexts.
The event also featured a young scholar from Australia, Dr. Anthony Paulo Sunjaya, a senior lecturer at The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney. Dr. Anthony’s session was conducted using a hybrid approach, with discussions focusing on academic writing and the academic world, specifically addressing research productivity, collaboration, and academic growth.
This event also served as a platform for students to foster an academic culture that encourages critical reflection and intellectual rigor, as well as a space for continuous learning. Furthermore, as emphasized by Assoc. Prof. Bambang Suminto, PhD, ethics, transparency, and accountability among researchers are the foundation for producing high-quality research. Especially since this research aims to bring positive impacts to Indonesia.
Similarly, as stated by Assoc. Prof. Tati D. Wardi, PhD, Head of the Master’s Program, the Graduate Forum reflects an important aspect of our Faculty’s academic cultural, serving as more than just a venue for presenting research; it embodies a commitment to building a community of scholars who are willing to engage critically, learn from one another, and contribute thoughtfully to educational conversations within and beyond their own areas of specialization.
Citing Prof. Nina Nurmila, PhD: “Every positive action, no matter how small, contributes to meaningful changes” serves as a reminder that every action is valuable, and every effort is part of a meaningful journey in the future. Similarly, the holding of this Graduate Forum brings hope to the educational world, inspiring change through every step and initiative.
source: https://uiii.ac.id/graduate-forum-2026-highlights-equity-access-and-belonging-in-education/
Congratulaions to Dr. Tati L. Duriyah as a Buffet-SDGS Visiting Scholar
We are proud to share that A/Prof. Tati Lathipatud Durriyah, PhD has been selected as a Buffett-EDGS Visiting Scholar at Northwestern University, USA. Congratulations!🎉
GRADUATE FORUM 2026: Inclusive Futures: Equity, Access, and Belonging in Education
🎓 GRADUATE FORUM 2026
Join us for two days of insightful discussions, inspiring stories, and meaningful conversations on:
Inclusive Futures: Equity, Access, and Belonging in Education
Meet our distinguished keynote speakers as they share their expertise on resilience, productivity, education, academic writing, and navigating academia.
📅 3–4 June 2026
📍 Theater, Faculty A, UIII
✨ keynote speakers:
1. Dr. Jumana Hazim ElSamna — Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
2. Soeharto, Ph.D. — National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia
3. dr. Nasrin Astani — Leader of the Bahá’í Community, Jakarta
4. Dr. Anthony Paulo Sunjaya — Senior Lecturer, UNSW Sydney, Australia
Join us for two days of inspiring discussions, stories, and conversations exploring pathways toward more inclusive futures in education.
We look forward to welcoming students, researchers, academics, and education enthusiasts to explore ideas that shape more inclusive futures in education.
#GraduateForum2026 #GraduateForum #UIII #FacultyOfEducation #ESTUDIA2026
Many rejections are better than no submission: lessons learned from publishing in International Journal
Many rejections are better than no submission: lessons learned from publishing in International Journal
By Hasnan Yasin
Many academics find it not easy to publish their papers in a reputable journal, including in internationally indexed journals. Some even consider publishing mostly in local-indexed journals since they think that it is easier to get accepted to some extent. This may be because of the dynamic behind publishing articles in a reputable journal. I had tried submitting my manuscripts to reputable journals many times before it was accepted by one. What I learned is that publishing is not just about writing quality papers, but also about finding a suitable journal to disseminate it. This brief writing is my reflection I noted from publishing in a reputable journal.
To begin with, I start with the writing quality. The writing must be of international standard. Even though specific guidelines are usually provided by each journal, common acceptable academic writing standards must be upheld. For example, the common structure used is IMRaD (short for Introduction, Method, Result, and Discussion), some journals also preferred it with literature review subject to the journal’s guideline; the stylistic convention and formatting needs to follow certain style such as APA (most common style I found), MLA, or other styles; ethical standards should be strictly considered and explicitly stated, especially for research involving human participations; the significance of the study must be presented; and the limitation of the study needs to be stated. This is just the starting point. The next one is related to selecting suitable journals to publish.
Beyond the writing itself, browsing and filtering journals can be very substantial and useful. I learned that choosing a journal is not just about looking at the name of the journal. It is beyond that. Paying attention to some points of a journal such as the scope, metrics, index, and even editors can be enlightening. The scope of the manuscript prepared must be in line with the journal scope. This can be seen from the stated aims and scopes and also from the published articles from previous volumes. Metrics is also important, especially if you are concerned much about the average time of the editorial process and the citation metrics. Indexing is another important point to notice in order to make sure that the journal is discoverable and credible. Lastly, getting to know the journal editors can be useful since they are in charge of overseeing the publication process. After carefully considering and finding a match to these points, submission is good to go.
Do not worry about the speed. Expect different length of editorial processes from different journals. Some journal editors have longer time to process your articles; others have shorter time. My first publication took me only three months from submission to its online publication. My second and the rest took a lot longer than that and are still in editorial process until this reflection is published. The average time of waiting is usually presented in the journal metrics. The metric usually portrays the fact based on previous year data. If the process takes a lot longer than what it says in the metrics, try emailing the editors or the editor assistance for clarification.
However, sometimes one try is not enough. That is why being tenacious is good in publishing an article. You have to expect that your first submission will not be great and rejection can be something you can find along the way. This does not necessarily mean that your article is not good enough, but it has not just found its place yet. I do not encourage you to submit one manuscript to many journals, instead, I encourage you to submit it again after one rejection. You also have to be reflective about what could possibly be improved after the rejection. Some editors sometimes include notes you can consider before submitting it again.
Be aware that the comments from reviewers and editors are not always nice but open spaces for learning and improvement. You can always take the comments from the reviewer and the editors as a learning opportunity for you. In my case, for example, since I wrote about financial literacy from large-scale educational assessment data, and my background is not economic, I learned some frameworks I used as lenses of my study. I learn about financial socialization and behavioral economics. Theories I have not heard before. This was initiated by the comments I received from the reviewers and editors. These comments are mostly constructive. The more comments you get the more opportunities you get for learning.
Finally, from publishing in international journals, I have learned that writing quality, journal selection, speed and timelines, tenacity and rejection, reviewer comments and growth are important points to consider in publishing and article. My final two cents is many rejections are better than no submissions. It may take time, but it is worth waiting.
BRIN Said Yes While My PhD Struggle Continued
BRIN Said Yes While My PhD Struggle Continued
by Rahayu
Starting a PhD really humbled me in ways no academic warning ever could. One minute I thought, “Ayu, you got this,” and the next minute I was reading the same paragraph five times like it was written in ancient civilization code. Apparently, becoming a Year 1 PhD student at Faculty of Education, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia means developing three personalities at once: a researcher, a professional overthinker, and a full-time deadline survivor.
There were days when my laptop witnessed more emotional breakdowns than my actual productivity. The readings kept multiplying, the theories kept getting more complicated, and somehow everyone in academia casually uses words like epistemology as if that alone does not increase my blood pressure. PhD life truly feels like intellectual suffering with a tuition fee (thanks God I am funded by LPDP Scholarship).
But somewhere between the chaos, sleep deprivation, and dramatic internal monologues of “why did I choose this path,” one of my works was accepted into the 2026 BRIN Local Knowledge Acquisition Program. Honestly, the timing felt almost disrespectful because I was literally in survival mode when the news came in. BRIN said yes while my brain was still in 'PhD fatigue' era.
And maybe that is the funny part about this education journey. Sometimes growth does not look inspirational and cinematic. Sometimes it looks like crying over assignments at 2 AM, surviving on caffeine, doubting your entire existence, and still submitting the work anyway. At one point, the exhaustion got so real that i feel the urge to disappear from academia entirely and open a tiny aesthetic coffee shop in some urban neighborhood where my biggest problem would be whether the espresso are single origin. Academia really teaches you that confidence is optional, but deadlines are not.
This experience reminded me that progress can happen even when life feels messy. Apparently, suffering academically does not automatically cancel the achievement. Sometimes you are still moving forward even while internally buffering.
So yes, my PhD survival mode continues. The stress is real, the readings are really challenging, and the imposter syndrome still visits uninvited (many times). But for today, at least, I celebrate the small slay: surviving Year 1 and making it to BRIN at the same time.
Insights Gained from the Wasathiya Course: Best Paper Award at a Scholarly Conference
Insights Gained from the Wasathiya Course: Best Paper Award at a Scholarly Conference
By Deshinta Puspa Ayu Dwi Argaswari
Learning about Wasathiya during my first semester was challenging for me. I remember telling my friends from the PhD in Education Batch 4 and Kelurahan LPDP-UIII several times that I need their help in understanding this course. Fortunately, the classroom discussions turned out to be far more open, warm, and thoughtful than I had imagined. Pak Andar, the lecturer once challenged me to reflect on Wasathiya from a Christian perspective as I am Christian studying Wasathiya. I began conducting a document analysis to explore how Christian schools informally implement values of moderation and tolerance.
I then decided to present the paper on International Conference on Islam and Education (ICONIE), organized by UIN K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan in collaboration with SEAMEO QITEP in Language. I saw it as an opportunity to share my paper and show that, deep within Christian education and curriculum, there are values aligned with Wasathiya and religious moderation. We are all working toward the same goal: nurturing harmony and diversity in this world.
At first, I was afraid. I was the only non-Muslim participant in the conference, and I worried that my topic might be considered sensitive. Yet the phrase, “If not now, then when? If not you, then who?” gave me courage. I felt that this was a responsibility to spread the essence of Wasathiya, especially to educators who would later pass these values on to their students. Hopefully, it would become knowledge that continues to benefit others.
Finally, I presented my paper. To my surprise, the audience warmly welcomed the perspective. Many participants found the paper and analysis interesting because it offered a new way of understanding Wasathiya/moderation. What began as an experience where I knew almost no one gradually turned into meaningful connections with many people. I was deeply inspired by the participants’ passion for learning, especially because many of them were no longer young, yet their enthusiasm remained extraordinary.
The conference itself was also enjoyable. I met Ajeng, an MA student from the Faculty of Education, and Babangida Muhammad, a student from Faculty of Islamic Studies. I had initially thought I was the only participant from UIII. I also met students and lecturers from Universitas Muhammadiyah Bekasi, who were incredibly kind and help me during the presentation.
Beyond presenting my own work, I gained valuable insights from the conference sessions. I met Ms. Van and Ms. Trang, speakers from Vietnam, who discussed art-based culture in language education. Their presentation reminded me of Fani’s (friend of mine in UIII) dissertation topic on culturally responsive pedagogy in Mathematics. Today, issues surrounding culture and humanity in education are becoming increasingly important. I was questioning ‘Why?”
I found part of the answer in Bu Itje Chodidjah’s lecture. She explained that although technology provides great power and convenience, the deeper meaning of education can gradually fade if humanity is neglected. Education is fundamentally about human relationships, emotions, and meaningful connections. Ethics help guide its direction. This is where humanity and culture play essential roles in supporting education today.
Of course, clashes and differences may arise throughout the process. Yet this is precisely where Wasathiya/moderation becomes important: bridging knowledge and humanity just as it bridges religions and diversity.
In the end, the conference became deeply meaningful for me. What I initially viewed as merely an opportunity to present my paper assignment turned into a transformative experience. I met people who were passionately fighting for education in their own ways. Their spirit illuminated the moments we shared, and our discussions broadened my understanding of education, culture, and humanity.
During the closing session, I was announced as the Best Presenter of the conference — not second or third place, but First Best Presenter among approximately 400 offline participants. Hearing my name and my paper title echo throughout the ballroom was unforgettable. At that moment, I was like ‘Thank God, I made the ‘Wasathiya’ being heard’. Even though this is not a topic that I fully mastered, I learned and grew through the challenges along the way.
I am also deeply thankful to my home university, Sampoerna University for its continuous support. I am equally grateful to Faculty of Education, UIII for giving me the opportunity to learn so many things. The faculty has guided me to courageously step into new experiences and continue learning, even at moments when I was afraid. My lecturers have been incredibly supportive throughout this journey. Pak Bambang always encouraged me to write and keep moving forward. Pak Andar consistently challenged me to explore more deeply and to embrace uniqueness in my work. My supervisor, Bu Destina, encouraged me to go beyond and enrich my knowledge. This is what students truly need: opportunities to learn not only inside the classroom, but also beyond it.