Jatinangor – Friday, April 17, 2026. Several lecturers from the Library and Information Science Study Program, Faculty of Communication Sciences (Fikom) at Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad), have successfully secured funding through Unpad’s internal research grant schemes for the 2026 fiscal year. This achievement spans various strategic categories, including the Unpad Lecturer Competency Research (RKDU), the International Matching Fund (IMF), and the national reference book writing grant. These successes reinforce the commitment of these academics to providing tangible contributions to society through the advancement of knowledge and cultural preservation.
In the Unpad Lecturer Competency Research (RKDU) scheme, a research team led by Dr. Drs. Yunus Winoto, M.Pd., along with members Dr. Saleha Rodiah, M.Si., Dr. Edwin Rizal, M.Si., and international partner Farrah Diana Saiful Bahry, Ph.D. from UiTM Malaysia, is conducting research on pentahelix synergy. Their study, titled “Pentahelix Synergy in Strengthening Environmental Information Literacy to Support Conservation and Restoration Programs in Mangrove Ecotourism Areas,” focuses on a case study in Burung Island, Subang Regency. Now entering its third year, the research aims to create a collaboration model between government, academia, business, community, and media to maintain the sustainability of coastal ecotourism.
Meanwhile, under the International Matching Fund (IMF) category, Dr. Ute Lies Siti Khadijah is leading an innovative research project based on artificial intelligence titled “Community-Centric AI Archives: Digital Archive Model of Wayang Pantura for the Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Indramayu.” In this second-year project, she is collaborating with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sharmila Mohamed Shuhidan from UiTM Malaysia, as well as an internal team consisting of Prof. Dr. Agus Rusmana, M.A., Dr. Elnovani Lusiana, and Dr. Rully Khairul Anwar. The primary focus of this research is to save Wayang Pantura from extinction by developing a digital archive system that enables pattern recognition and motif classification using AI, developed participatively with local communities.
In addition to large-scale research projects, an achievement was also recorded in the field of literacy through a book-writing grant awarded to researcher Rizki Nurislaminingsih, M.A. The author is currently drafting a national reference book titled “Museums: Institutions of Intangible Cultural Heritage.” Through this work, the author seeks to shift the public paradigm regarding museums—which have long been viewed merely as storage for physical artifacts—into institutions that preserve indigenous knowledge. The book is expected to serve as a guide for museum managers to provide deeper information services regarding the cultural values behind every collection.
All research and writing activities are being carried out throughout 2026 with full support from Universitas Padjadjaran. The grants provided aim to encourage high-quality outputs, such as publications in reputable international journals and the publication of reference books beneficial to the world of education. Through these various innovations, the researchers of the Unpad Library and Information Science Study Program hope their work will provide solutions to the environmental, social, and cultural challenges currently facing society.
Author: Annisa Dwi Fajriyah
