Contributor: Supriyono | Photo: Afifah Muharikah

Afifah Muharikah, PhD, a lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), has been honored with the prestigious RELO Scholarship Award 2025 during the 71st International Conference of TEFLIN (The Association for the Teaching of English in Indonesia)—one of Indonesia’s most prominent gatherings for English language educators and researchers.

Held under the theme “Reimagining English Language Education in the Age of AI and Digital Transformation: Integrating Inclusive Education and Cultural Diversity,” this year’s TEFLIN conference attracted over 600 presenters and participants from Indonesia and abroad. The event serves as a vital platform for teachers, lecturers, and researchers to exchange ideas and innovations in English education, while fostering global collaboration with international professional networks.

Representing UIII’s Faculty of Education, Dr. Afifah joined the event as one of ten recipients of the RELO Scholarship 2025, an award jointly granted by the U.S. Embassy’s Regional English Language Office (RELO) and TEFLIN to recognize educators making meaningful contributions to English teaching and research in Indonesia.

“The award is very meaningful to me because it directly supports my Latsar CPNS (civil servant basic training) project at UIII,” said Dr. Afifah. “Under the guidance of Prof. Nina Nurmila, Dean of the Faculty of Education, I’m developing an AI Literacy Module for Research, which will later be integrated into the Thesis Preparation course and the Faculty’s Thesis Handbook.”

Throughout the three-day conference, Dr. Afifah participated in sessions that explored topics such as AI in academic writing, digital ethics, inclusive pedagogy, and intercultural communication. She also networked with educators and researchers from various universities and institutions across Indonesia, exchanging ideas about how AI and inclusivity are shaping English language education globally.

Her engagement extended beyond participation — she also took the opportunity to introduce UIII’s programs and share information about the Faculty of Education’s upcoming academic seminar in April 2026, which is currently calling for paper submissions.

“This conference allowed me to reconnect with the TEFL community after completing my PhD and to learn how current discussions on AI, inclusion, and accessibility are influencing English education,” she reflected. “It also helped me transition from practitioner to researcher and strengthen UIII’s academic visibility in the field.”