The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), continues to strengthen its academic internationalization by involving international examiners in undergraduate thesis examinations. On Monday, 26 January 2026, at 08.00 WIB, Difa Rahma Sari, an undergraduate student in the Physics Education Study Program, successfully conducted her thesis examination with the presence of an international examiner from the Philippines.
In the examination, Difa presented her research entitled “Development of Student Worksheets (LKPD) Based on Project-Based Learning (PBL) on Renewable Energy Material in Biogas Production Integrated with Local Wisdom to Improve Students’ Critical Thinking Skills.” The study focused on developing Project-Based Learning (PjBL)-oriented student worksheets integrated with local wisdom in the context of biogas production as a renewable energy, aiming to enhance students’ critical thinking skills.
The examination involved Assistant Professor Rene M. Babiera II, MAED-PE, CSASS, from the University of the Immaculate Conception, Philippines, as the international external examiner, and Dr. Bambang Subali from Universitas Negeri Semarang as the internal examiner. The participation of an international examiner provided global academic benchmarking on the quality, novelty, and reliability of the developed learning product.
During the examination, Assistant Professor Rene M. Babiera II raised critical questions regarding the novelty and reliability of the developed worksheets. Difa Rahma Sari responded convincingly, presenting strong scientific arguments regarding the instructional design, validation process, and implementation of PjBL-based worksheets integrated with local wisdom in renewable energy learning.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bambang Subali highlighted the rationale for selecting renewable energy as the research topic and the notable achievements in students’ critical thinking and creativity skills. He encouraged the student to emphasize the strengths and innovative contributions of the developed worksheets as a learning product that supports higher-order thinking skills in physics education.
Internationalization, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), and Global Engagement Highlights
The involvement of an international examiner in this undergraduate thesis examination reflects FMIPA UNNES’s strong commitment to global academic quality assurance, international benchmarking, and World Class University (WCU) initiatives. This activity contributes directly to several internationalization performance indicators, including:
- International Key Performance Indicators (KPI): The participation of an international academic in the examination process supports IKU 6 (Collaborative and Participatory Learning) and IKU 7 (International Academic Reputation) by enhancing global academic collaboration and visibility.
- World Class University (WCU) Roadmap: The presence of an international external examiner strengthens academic quality assurance and global benchmarking, while expanding UNNES’s international academic network with higher education institutions in Southeast Asia.
- Global Engagement and International Exposure: This initiative provides students and faculty with international academic exposure and cross-cultural scholarly interaction. It opens pathways for joint research, co-publications, student exchange programs, and joint supervision between UNNES and international partner universities.
The research topic also aligns with global educational and sustainability agendas, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), emphasizing the integration of sustainability, local wisdom, and 21st-century skills in science education.
The research outcomes are expected to contribute to the development of innovative, project-based instructional materials integrated with local wisdom and to strengthen physics learning that promotes students’ critical and creative thinking skills.
