Fikom Unisba Celebrates 43rd Anniversary, Reinforces Commitment Towards SMART 2026

The Faculty of Communication Sciences (Fikom) at the Islamic University of Bandung (Unisba) held an Open Senate Session to commemorate its 43rd Anniversary in the Unisba Main Hall on Tuesday (9/6/2026). Carrying the theme ‘FIKOM Unisba for Impact: SMART 2026’, this event served as a moment of reflection while strengthening the faculty’s development direction amidst the acceleration of digital transformation. The event was attended by foundation and university leadership, as well as the Fikom Unisba academic community comprising faculty leaders, lecturers, administrative staff, students, and alumni, along with working partners. Unisba Rector Prof Ir A Harits Nu’man expressed appreciation for Fikom Unisba’s long journey, noting significant developments in institutional aspects, lecturer resources, and academic recognition. He also highlighted the importance of improving lecturer quality, particularly in accelerating academic positions towards professorship, given the intense competition and current higher education regulatory demands. He expressed hope that Fikom would continue to contribute to supporting the university’s vision towards achieving superior accreditation and global competitiveness. The Head of the Higher Education Service Institution (LLDIKTI) Region IV West Java and Banten, Dr Lukman, appreciated Fikom Unisba’s contribution in producing quality, competitive graduates, assessing that the age of 43 represents a phase of maturity for the faculty to stride further forward and strengthen its strategic role in higher education. In her scientific oration, the Dean of Fikom Unisba, Dr Rini Rinawati, addressed the theme ‘Communication, Empowerment, and Digitalisation: Rediscovering the Essence of Humanity in the Digital Era through Family Communication’. She asserted that communication does not only function as a tool for information exchange but is also the core of human existence. Amidst the swift currents of digitalisation, communication has undergone a massive transformation bringing opportunities as well as challenges, such as information overload, rampant hoaxes, social polarisation, and the declining quality of human interaction. She further emphasised that the family must become the primary space for preserving human values in communication, acting as a safe space that fosters empathy, care, and emotional balance among the younger generation amidst the dominance of digital media. In her presentation, the Dean also highlighted the importance of digital literacy and communication capacity encompassing critical thinking skills for filtering information, ethical and empathetic communication, and the responsible use of technology for social empowerment. She raised the exemplary figures of women in Islamic history such as Siti Hajar, the mother of Prophet Musa, and Siti Maryam as symbols of resilience, strategy, and the vital role of women in building civilisation, which remains relevant in facing the challenges of the digital era. The scientific oration also affirmed that digitalisation must be interpreted as a means of empowerment, not merely technological progress. The younger generation is expected to become communicators who are not only intellectually intelligent but also wise, ethical, and oriented towards human values. The chief organiser of the 43rd Anniversary, Dr Tia Muthiah Umar, reported that Fikom Unisba has grown over more than four decades with tangible contributions to the development of communication science, character building, and community service. Furthermore, Fikom Unisba reinforced the implementation of the SMART 2026 theme, an acronym for Smart, Mindful, Aware, Responsible, and Thriving, as a guide for shaping adaptive and impactful graduates. The event included awarding outstanding students, recognition for achievement-driving schools, and impactful education partners, as part of a series of academic strengthening and community service programmes.