Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) hosted the Next-D 2026 International Conference under the theme “Transforming the Digital Landscape with Emerging Technologies.”
The event was organized in collaboration with Faizuddin Center of Excellence in Education (FCoEE) and brought together 200 experts and industry professionals from across Asia, including South Korea, India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Brunei Darussalam. The two-day conference took place on September 12–13 at UMSU’s auditorium on Jalan Muchtar Basri No. 3, Medan.
The conference was also supported by several institutions, including Deztron University, Indonesia; Fahad University, Saudi Arabia; Ubudiyah Indonesia University; the National Institute of Technology Silchar, India; Kasetsart University, Thailand; and Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University, Brunei Darussalam.
The conference was officially opened by UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd., who expressed his appreciation for the event. He described hosting the conference as both an honor and a source of pride for UMSU. He hoped that the participation of experts from various countries would broaden perspectives and foster institutional partnerships with tangible benefits.
“We hope the experts’ presence will bring valuable experience, meaningful connections, and lasting knowledge, particularly as we work toward a better digital future,” the Rector said.
He also expressed hope that Next-D 2026 would go beyond academic discussions to generate collaborative initiatives and lasting benefits for universities and society.
“This conference is expected to serve as a platform for learning, exchanging ideas, strengthening collaboration, and creating positive, sustainable impacts for institutions and communities,” he added.
The opening session featured six keynote speakers, alongside two representatives from industry. One of the keynote speakers was UMSU Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, Community Service, and Internationalization, Dr. Rudianto, M.Si., who delivered the first keynote presentation, titled “Digital Transformation in Higher Education: Adaptive Leadership in the AI Era.”
Dr. Rudianto explained that technology is essential to improving efficiency and productivity. He noted that universities have traditionally served as institutions where people acquire knowledge, competencies, skills, and academic qualifications. However, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital learning platforms have made knowledge increasingly accessible beyond formal educational institutions.
People can now learn a wide range of skills through technology platforms, including AI-powered tools. This shift requires universities to redefine their roles, values, and competitive advantages.
According to Dr. Rudianto, the main challenge for higher education institutions is not simply whether to adopt AI, but how to adapt their cultures, regulations, curricula, governance, and academic systems to these changes.
“If all students are already using AI, should we continue designing assignments and examinations in the same way as before? This is a new culture that we must address fairly and appropriately,” he said.
Other keynote speakers included:
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rabiah Abdul Kadir, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Visual Informatics (IVI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), who presented “AI’s Real-World Impact: Research Stories That Shaped My View of AI’s Future.”
- Dr. Mutiawati, S.Pd., M.Pd., Rector of Ubudiyah Indonesia University (UUI), who presented “Design and Development of the Rumor TIKA-AI Application Using VR Headsets to Improve Mathematics Literacy and Learning Behavior.”
- Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Hasyiya Karimah binti Adli, Director of the Centre for External Education at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), who discussed “Machine Learning-Driven Data Optimization for Accelerated Discovery in Perovskite Photovoltaics.”
- Dr. Bibi Noriani binti Mohd Yusuf, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Business and Communication, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), who presented “Reimagining Zakat for the Digital Age: The FCoEE AI-Driven Human Capital Empowerment and Development (AHEAD) Framework for Perlis Asnaf.”
- Prof. Dr. Md. Aminul Islam, who discussed “Artificial Intelligence and Workforce Transformation in the Energy Industry: Navigating the Future of Jobs.”
The industry talks featured two speakers. James Lim Chee Keon, Deputy Director of the Data and AI Division at Strateq Group of Companies, presented “Industry Sovereign AI Uptake: How the Move to Owned, On-Campus AI Is Reshaping What Universities Must Protect, Teach, and Build.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Hwansoo Jung, Founder, Chief Technology Officer, and Vice Chairman of the Daedeok R&D (Innopolis Institute Enterprise Association), delivered a presentation titled “From Measurement to Field Intelligence: NIR, Multimodal Sensing, TinyML, and Embedded AI for Sustainable Agri-Food Systems—An End-to-End Education Platform for Climate-Smart Agricultural, Environmental, Computer Science, and Electronics Engineers.”
The Next-D 2026 International Conference continued with parallel sessions and concluded on Sunday, September 13, with a closing ceremony led by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, at UMSU’s auditorium.
Also attending the event were UMSU Board of Trustees Chairman Prof. Dr. Agussani, M.AP., and other board members; FCoEE Executive Chairman Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr. Kamaruddin Hussin; UMSU faculty leaders; and conference participants.
