Universitas Pembangunan Jaya Holds International Seminar on Strategies for Campuses Facing AI Disruption
Universitas Pembangunan Jaya (UPJ), through the Faculty of Technology and Design and the DKV Programme, held an International Seminar titled Artificial Intelligence and The Future of Education World. The forum brought together academics, government representatives, and students from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan to discuss the direction of higher education in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The event was conducted in a hybrid format at the UPJ Theatre and via Zoom, enabling students from various countries to participate in sessions remotely, broadening access and strengthening cross-border collaboration.
The seminar was a collaboration among universities focusing on adaptation and utilisation of AI. From Indonesia, UPJ; from Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Malaysia, together with the Department of Higher Education Malaysia; and from Taiwan, Tamkang University.
Desi Dwi Kristanto, S.Ds., M.Ds., Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Technology and Design at UPJ, stressed that campuses cannot delay AI adaptation. “Universities must move quickly. Curricula need to align with technological developments. We want UPJ graduates to be able to work alongside AI systems, understand their logic, and uphold academic ethics,” she said.
Puan Mujahidah Khairun Nisak Rosli from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia outlined the direction of national policy on AI integration. “The implementation of AI in higher education must be accompanied by clear regulations, strong governance, and quality assurance. Without that, the quality of academic work could be affected,” she stated.
Prof. Dr. Jian-Bang Deng from the Department of Education and Design at Tamkang University explained his campus’s experience in integrating AI into digital learning systems and interdisciplinary curricula. “We do not treat AI as an additional subject. We integrate it into cross-disciplinary projects so that students understand how it works and its impact directly,” he explained.
Ts Dr Zaaba Ahmad from the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Science at Universiti Teknologi MARA discussed applying machine learning to analyse students’ learning performance. “Data helps lecturers make academic decisions more precisely. AI provides insights, but the decisions still rest with educators,” he emphasised.
The discussions continued in a talk-show format moderated by Ratno Suprapto, S.Sn., M.Ds., a DKV lecturer at UPJ. Participants debated academic integrity, the boundaries of AI use in assignments, and the readiness of lecturers and students. With timely and engaging topics, active questions were raised by students both in person and via Zoom.
Universiti Teknologi MARA’s team also conducted a sit-in-class with UPJ DKV students. Senior Lecturer Interior Design Muh Srip Abd Rahman; Senior Lecturer Fine Art Prof. Madya Dr Azhar Abd Jamil; and lecturers from Computer Science had the chance to dialogue directly with students. The session demonstrated concrete cross-border collaboration in the classroom.
The seminar sent a clear message: AI-based education transformation requires curriculum readiness, regulatory frameworks, and teacher competence. As students, there is a need to upgrade AI literacy and understand ethical usage; as campus administrators, to ensure policies and learning systems remain relevant to technological developments. UPJ, together with partners from Malaysia and Taiwan, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening global cooperation and building an adaptive higher education ecosystem oriented to technology-based industry needs.
Over the past decades, Indonesia has often believed that improving the quality of education is primarily a matter of injecting funds into schools or changing curriculum labels. The Cabinet Secretary explained that the education budget remains at 20% of the State Budget (APBN) in line with constitutional mandates. The Chair of Komisi XI DPR RI, Mukhamad Misbakhun, emphasised that the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG) does not reduce the education infrastructure budget in the APBN.
Cross-cultural interaction and opportunities to build global networking are expected to broaden horizons and strengthen readiness for graduates to embark on professional careers.