Semarang, August 15, 2025 – As a strategic step to expand international networks and strengthen cross-border academic collaboration, the research team from the Department of Educational Technology, Faculty of Education and Psychology (FIPP), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) made an official visit to The Centre for Instructional Technology and Multimedia (CITM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The UNNES team, consisting of Muhammad Nazil Iqdami, M.Ed., Tri Astuti, M.Pd., Tri Hutami, M.Ed., Khairul Arifin, M.Pd., Abdul Arif, M.Pd., and Nida Hanifa, M.Phil., was warmly welcomed by CITM Director, Prof. Dr. Wan Ahmad Jaafar Wan Yahaya; Deputy Director, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Nur Azlina Mohamed Mokmin; and Dr. Chau Kien Tsong.
The meeting took place in an atmosphere of openness, where both parties discussed concrete opportunities for collaboration in educational technology research, student and faculty exchange, and the joint hosting of international conferences. CITM also extended wide opportunities for UNNES Educational Technology lecturers to pursue doctoral studies at CITM USM. Conversely, UNNES offered a summer courseprogram for CITM master’s students to study curriculum development in the Master’s Program in Curriculum Development at UNNES.
This collaboration aligns with the commitment of UNNES and USM to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by ensuring access to inclusive, relevant, and globally recognized higher education, as well as SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, which emphasizes the importance of international partnerships in achieving development objectives. Through this collaboration, both institutions aim to create a learning ecosystem that enriches the academic capacity of lecturers and students while producing innovative research with broad impact.
Representing the UNNES team, Muhammad Nazil Iqdami, M.Ed., emphasized that this visit was not merely an academic courtesy but the first step toward a long-term strategic partnership. “We see many potential synergies between UNNES and USM, especially through CITM, which can be realized in the form of joint research, international publications, academic exchanges, and conference organization. Our spirit is to build a partnership that is mutually reinforcing and sustainable,” he stated.
The interactive discussion also explored opportunities for joint projects in digital learning innovation, advanced technology-based media development, and the application of learning analytics to enhance teaching and learning effectiveness in higher education. The visit concluded with an exchange of souvenirs and a group photo session as a symbol of friendship and both parties’ commitment to implementing the agreed collaboration.
Through this synergy, UNNES and USM are not only strengthening their positions as internationally reputable higher education institutions but also making a tangible contribution to realizing quality education and global partnerships for a more sustainable future.
