A team of lecturers from the Faculty of Engineering (FT), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), conducted an international community engagement program titled “Developing a Data-Driven Civil Engineering Ecosystem at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam through the Integration of Machine Learning and Open Scientific Datasets” from 10-12 June 2026 at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, Malaysia.
The program forms part of UNNES’ ongoing efforts to strengthen international collaboration while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Over the course of three days, the delegation participated in a series of activities, including academic lectures and training sessions for UiTM students and faculty members, the implementation of a collaborative agreement between UNNES, UiTM, and the IIESM research group, discussions on future joint publications, student inbound-outbound mobility initiatives, and a tree-planting activity.
The UNNES Faculty of Engineering delegation consisted of Prof. Dr. Nur Qudus, M.T., IPM., Drs. Bambang Sugiyarto, M.T., Dr. Harianingsih, S.T., M.T., Virgiawan Adi Kristianto, S.Pd., M.Ed., and Rizky Ajie Aprilianto, S.Pd., M.Eng.
As part of the program, the team delivered a presentation titled “Machine Learning for Building Energy Prediction in Civil Engineering: Courtyard Design × Tropical Climate – Open Scientific Dataset.” The session attracted strong interest from both students and academic staff at UiTM Shah Alam. Through this knowledge-sharing initiative, the Faculty of Engineering contributed to SDG 4 by supporting academic capacity building and advancing the application of emerging technologies in civil engineering.
The program also included the signing of an implementation agreement between UNNES and UiTM. This milestone represents a continuation of the longstanding partnership between the two institutions and is expected to facilitate further collaboration in academic activities, research projects, and joint scholarly publications. The initiative aligns with SDG 17, which emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing sustainable development.
The international engagement program concluded with a joint tree-planting activity. This initiative reflects the conservation values that underpin UNNES’ identity as a Conservation-Oriented University. Beyond demonstrating environmental stewardship, the activity also supports SDG 13 on Climate Action and SDG 15 on Life on Land.
Through this international community engagement initiative, UNNES continues to expand its global academic network while reinforcing the role of higher education institutions in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through education, research, and community engagement.
