FITK UIN Jakarta Collaborates with FPISS USAS Malaysia on International Students Colloquium
UIN Jakarta, UIN Online News — The Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teacher Training (FITK) of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, through its Early Childhood Islamic Education (PIAUD) Program, successfully held the International Students Colloquium in collaboration with Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS), Malaysia, under the theme “Early Childhood Education from an Islamic Perspective: Global Challenges and Innovations” on Friday (August 29, 2025).
The forum was attended by representatives from both institutions, including Dr. Yanti Herlianti, M.Pd., Vice Dean of FITK UIN Jakarta; Dewi Salistina, M.A., Head of the PIAUD Program; Nur Luthfi Rizqa H., Secretary of the PIAUD Program; Dr. Mariani Binti Omar, Head of the FPISS Department at USAS Malaysia; Pn. Siti Nurulain Binti Zakaria, Head of the Early Childhood Education Program at FPISS USAS; Puan Nur Sahira, Secretary of USAS Malaysia; and students from each delegation.
The event opened with remarks from Dr. Yanti Herlianti, M.Pd., and Dr. Mariani Binti Omar, who both emphasized the importance of international collaboration in equipping students to face an ever-changing global landscape. This initiative includes preparing for the digital era, enriching Islamic curricula to remain relevant, and fostering innovation in early childhood education (ECE) to nurture adaptive, character-driven, and globally competitive generations.
The discussion continued with two experts in the field, Dewi Salistina, M.A., and Pn. Siti Nurulain Binti Zakaria, who highlighted the importance of balancing technological mastery with character development in ECE, particularly in the midst of rapid digitalization.
Dewi Salistina expressed her view in alignment with this approach, stating, "Early childhood education should not only equip children with 21st-century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, but also ensure that Islamic values remain the foundation in shaping their character."
The forum also featured breakout sessions with a range of strategic themes:
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Early Childhood Islamic Education
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Islamic Early Childhood Curriculum and Pedagogy
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Innovations in Early Childhood Learning
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Character and Spiritual Values in Early Childhood Education, and Local Wisdom in Early Childhood Education
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Strengthening the Role of Teachers and Families
These sessions aimed to provide an interactive platform for students to share experiences and perspectives, explore new ideas, and formulate innovative solutions tailored to local needs and contexts.
As a form of appreciation, the organizers presented awards to the best articles from each delegation. Two outstanding articles were selected:
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Pengembangan Buku Cerita untuk Mengenalkan Pengetahuan Personal Hygiene Anak Usia Dini by Alifia Sekar Kinasih and Miratul Hayati (UIN Jakarta), which presented an innovative use of storybooks as an effective medium to instill healthy habits from an early age
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Kemahiran Kreativiti dan Estetika dalam Pembangunan Kreativiti Kanak-Kanak Prasekolah by Nur Akalili Husain, Nur Shahira Abdul Rashid, and Nurulhafizah Hamzah (USAS), which highlighted the importance of creativity and aesthetics as fundamental elements in preschool education.
The event concluded with a shared hope to strengthen collaboration between FITK UIN Jakarta and USAS Malaysia through research initiatives, international publications, and student and faculty exchanges. It is expected that the ideas generated in this forum will translate into concrete actions to advance Islamic-based early childhood education at the global level.
(Press release from the Faculty of Education and Teacher Training)