International Workshop on Enhancing Scientific Article Writing and Publication Competence for Indonesian Students at Universiti Malaya
The winners of the Community Service OPR under the International Collaboration Scheme of the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro (UM Metro), organized an international community service activity through a workshop entitled “Improving the Competence of the Indonesian Student Community at Universiti Malaya Through Best Practice-Based Scientific Article Writing and Publication.” The activity was conducted online via Zoom on May 1, 2026, and was attended by Indonesian students who are members of the Indonesian Students Association (PPI) at Universiti Malaya, Malaysia.
This activity aimed to enhance the academic competence of Indonesian students studying abroad, particularly in writing and publishing scientific articles based on best practices. Through this program, it is expected that students will not only be able to conduct research but also be capable of organizing and publishing their ideas and academic experiences in the form of high-quality scientific works.
The workshop featured two speakers from Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro, namely Johan Setiawan, a lecturer in History Education, and Dedy Subandowo, a lecturer in English. In the first session, Dr. Johan Setiawan delivered material on the urgency and strategies of writing scientific articles based on best practices. In his presentation, he explained that the ability to write scientific articles is one of the essential competencies for university students, particularly in supporting the development of academic culture and contributing to the advancement of knowledge.
He also described the stages involved in preparing a scientific article, starting from identifying research problems, developing a conceptual framework, organizing a systematic article structure, and refining the manuscript before submitting it to a scientific journal.
The next session was delivered by Dedy Subandowo, PhD., who discussed strategies for publishing scientific articles in academic journals. In his presentation, he provided practical guidance on how to select appropriate journals, adjust manuscripts according to the focus and scope of the journal, and understand the review and editorial processes involved in scientific publication.
In addition, he highlighted several challenges often faced by novice writers, such as language barriers, article formatting, and responding to reviewers’ comments. This material provided important insights for participants regarding strategic steps to ensure that their scientific articles can be accepted and published in academic journals.
The workshop was conducted interactively with high enthusiasm from the participants. Indonesian students at Universiti Malaya actively participated in discussions and raised various questions related to scientific writing techniques, journal selection, and strategies for improving the quality of their academic works.
Through this activity, LPPM UM Metro demonstrated its commitment to expanding international academic collaboration while supporting the improvement of the academic capacity of Indonesian students abroad. It is hoped that this activity will encourage students to be more active in writing and publishing scientific works, thereby contributing to the advancement of knowledge and strengthening academic culture among Indonesian students.