Indonesian Language Public Lecture, UNU Jogja Strengthens Students' Academic Writing Capacity

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - UNU Jogja continues to strengthen its role as a university grounded in the values of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah, committed to shaping a professional generation that thinks critically and is academically productive. One concrete manifestation of this commitment was the holding of a Public Lecture for the General Basic Course (MKDU) in Indonesian on Monday, June 16. 

This event featured a professional speaker, Eko Triono, a lecturer at Yogyakarta State University and a literacy practitioner who has long been active in advocating for reading and scientific writing among university students. The public lecture was attended by all 2024 cohort students from 11 study programs within UNU Jogja. 

In his presentation, Eko emphasized that writing is not merely an academic activity, but a way to build one's presence and voice ideas within the scholarly community. "Writing is a foundational skill for critical and reflective thinking. It is not just an academic requirement, but a path to building self-image and scholarly reasoning," he said. 

He also highlighted the importance of cultivating scientific approaches to writing. According to Eko, a writer can assume the stance of a philosopher, poet, or thinker, using deductive, inductive, and abductive approaches to transform data into knowledge. He encouraged students not to hesitate to explore ideas, distinguish facts from opinions, and rely on sound reasoning in every piece of writing. 

Khusnul Harsul, a lecturer at UNU Jogja's Faculty of Education, welcomed the organization of this public lecture. They considered the topic relevant to students' needs in fostering a culture of literacy. "We hope this activity will spark the emergence of scholarly works from UNU Jogja students that not only fulfill course requirements but also contribute knowledge in the public sphere," they said. 

Beyond theory, the speaker also presented practical material on the structure of scholarly writing. From the introduction, literature review, and methodology to the conclusion and references, every element was discussed systematically and in an applied manner. The speaker also reminded participants of the importance of writing consistently, engaging in literacy communities, and making the writing process enjoyable and meaningful. 

The event proceeded interactively, marked by participants' enthusiasm during the Q&A session. The intellectual atmosphere that emerged is expected to be a good beginning for the growth of a scholarly tradition at UNU Jogja. [Latifah]