UNU Jogja Innovates Public Speaking Course to Prepare Students as Digital Da'wah Content Creators

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – The English Education Study Program at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja) has introduced an innovative learning approach through a collaboration with the University's Directorate of Communications in the "Public Speaking for Da'wah Communication" course. Through this initiative, students not only develop their public speaking skills but also gain practical experience in producing digital da'wah content for social media.

Dr. Mustaghfiroh Rahayu, Dean of the Faculty of Education and lecturer for the course, explained that public speaking today extends beyond classroom presentations and must also reach wider audiences through digital platforms.

"Da'wah in today's world requires adaptability. Through this course, we want our English Education students not only to communicate confidently in English but also to creatively convey Islamic and humanitarian values through visual content on social media. Digital da'wah communication has become a valuable competency that will distinguish our graduates," Dr. Mustaghfiroh said on Monday, July 20.

Meanwhile, Intan Agisti Nila Sari, Director of Communications at UNU Jogja, emphasized that collaboration between academics and communication practitioners provides students with learning experiences that are closely aligned with the demands of today's digital landscape.

"We are delighted to share practical insights from the creative communication industry with our students. Social media has become the new stage for public speaking. By equipping them with a structured content creation process—from idea development and scriptwriting to video editing—we hope students will become digital da'wah content creators whose messages are engaging, impactful, and relevant to today's younger generation," Intan said on Monday, July 20.

The collaborative program was conducted over four sessions from mid-June to early July 2026. Throughout the course, students experienced the entire content production process, beginning with brainstorming creative ideas and developing da'wah messages tailored to social media audiences.

In the following sessions, students learned how to write compelling hooks, develop content plans, and utilize various digital tools to support content production. Once their concepts were finalized, they practiced video production, including visual storytelling techniques and video editing based on their planned content.

The program concluded with a presentation session in which each group showcased its completed video project and received constructive feedback from lecturers and peers. This final session enabled students to refine their content while strengthening their presentation and communication skills.

The knowledge and practical experience gained through the course are expected to equip students to communicate da'wah messages through social media in creative, engaging, and youth-friendly ways. The initiative also reflects UNU Jogja's commitment as a university in Yogyakarta to developing innovative learning experiences that respond to the evolving demands of digital communication. [Latifah]