UBSI Pontianak Students Study Application Development and Creative Industries at FACA UNIMAS
The second day of the 2026 International Edutrip agenda proved to be a crucial moment for Information Systems students from the Universitas Bina Sarana Informatika (UBSI) Pontianak campus. After exploring pure technology sectors, students had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge at the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts (FACA), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
This visit to FACA UNIMAS was designed to provide fresh insights into how information technology is integrated into the creative industries, particularly in the process of digital application development. Students were presented with a comprehensive overview of the roadmap for creating applications that meet global standards. This process includes user needs identification, user interface (UI) design, user experience (UX) optimisation, and the stages of system implementation and maintenance.
In addition to classroom learning, participants from the ‘Digital Creative’ campus were shown various real-world digital projects and innovations resulting from collaborations between FACA lecturers and students. The exhibited works demonstrated how technological logic can harmoniously blend with elements of art, design, and high creativity to produce digital solutions that are both functional and commercially viable.
Synergy of Technology and Art in the Digital Era
The Head of the Information Systems Study Programme at UBSI Pontianak, Muhammad Sony Maulana, emphasised that the visit to FACA UNIMAS was intentionally organised to broaden students’ perspectives on the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration.
“Today’s technological world is no longer solely about rigid lines of code. The current digital industry demands high creativity and a deep understanding of user psychology. Through this visit to FACA UNIMAS, our students can see firsthand how digital innovation is born from the perfect marriage between technological aspects, design aesthetics, and user experience comfort,” Sony stated in a press release received in Pontianak on Tuesday (9/6).
Sony added that understanding UI/UX and the creative industries will provide significant added value when students enter the workforce or begin building their own startups.
“We do not want UBSI graduates to merely be mechanical programmers. By observing the innovative works at FACA, they learn that a successful market application is one that possesses ‘soul’—meaning it is user-friendly, visually appealing, and truly solves societal problems. This multidisciplinary approach is what we aim to instil from an early stage,” he said.
Motivation to Meet Industry Challenges
At the conclusion of the session, Sony expressed hope that this rare international experience would trigger a significant boost in student motivation, both in strengthening academic foundations and honing practical hard and soft skills.
“The challenges in the digital industry move very rapidly. I hope that upon returning from this edutrip, students will be increasingly driven to continue exploring their abilities, actively innovating, and not limiting themselves to classroom theory. They must be prepared to become digital creators capable of addressing the real needs of society and the global industrial world,” concluded Sony.