MEDAN — The Faculty of Islamic Studies (FAI) at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) convened an international public lecture on Tuesday (20/10/2026) at the FAI Multi-Building Hall. The event, titled “Public Lecture on Research Method: Issues and Challenges in Digital Era,” was organized to enhance academic research capabilities and promote critical digital literacy among students navigating modern technological tools.
The academic session was officially opened by the Dean of FAI UMSU, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zailani, M.A., and moderated by Dr. Isra Hayati. The lecture featured keynote speaker Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halim Bin Mad Lazim from the School of Technology Management and Logistics (STML), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).
Addressing an audience of approximately 100 students from the Shariah Business Management and Islamic Banking study programs, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halim highlighted the necessity of maintaining academic integrity when utilizing digital tools for research. He specifically warned against unverified reliance on artificial intelligence in scholarly work.
“Whatever method you use, especially AI, students should verify the facts before using it for paper tasks or publishing something as their own work,” stated Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halim Bin Mad Lazim during the lecture.
The presentation triggered active engagement during the question-and-answer session, where around 10 students actively raised queries focused on the AI phenomenon in student literacy, source verification, and research methodologies in the digital age.
Beyond bolstering student research skills, this initiative reflects UMSU’s ongoing commitment to institutional excellence and global benchmarks. The public lecture directly advances key Higher Education Main Performance Indicators (IKU), specifically supporting IKU 6 (Program Studi Bekerja Sama dengan Mitra Kelas Dunia) through active academic collaboration with Universiti Utara Malaysia.
Additionally, the event contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It advances SDG 4 (Quality Education) by fostering critical thinking, research integrity, and verified digital literacy in the AI era, while simultaneously driving SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by strengthening cross-border educational networks between higher education institutions in Indonesia and Malaysia.
