Banda Aceh — Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening an internationally competitive academic ecosystem by organizing a Scientific Writing Workshop on Saturday, March 14, 2026. The event took place at the Senate Meeting Room of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), USK.
The workshop was part of the Enhancing Quality Education for International University Impacts and Recognition (EQUITY) program, which focuses on improving the university’s performance in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. This initiative represents a strategic effort to enhance USK’s global competitiveness through high-quality research and scientific publications.
The event was officially opened by the Head of University Reputation Office, Muslim Akmal, who expressed strong appreciation for the initiative. Support was also conveyed by the Head of the Statistics Department, Zurnila Marli Kesuma, who highlighted the importance of the program in strengthening students’ research foundations.
The intensive training was attended by graduate students from the Master’s programs in Statistics and Artificial Intelligence. Director of the Graduate School, Hizir Sofyan, emphasized in his remarks that the workshop serves as a strategic step to boost both the quantity and quality of research publications at USK.
Meanwhile, the Dean of FMIPA, Taufik Fuadi Abidin, underlined that strengthening scientific writing capacity is essential to enhancing the competitiveness of higher education institutions and expanding USK’s contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The workshop featured a distinguished international researcher from University of Technology Sydney, Biswajeet Pradhan, as the keynote speaker. Carrying the theme “Applying Machine Learning Techniques for High-Impact Research,” the session focused on equipping participants with the skills needed to produce high-quality scientific papers capable of being published in reputable international journals.
With an impressive academic track record, including an H-Index of 136, Pradhan stressed the importance of integrating technology into scientific writing. He explained that high-impact research must be supported by robust methodologies, appropriate analytical models, and systematic presentation of findings to compete in the global publication landscape.
The workshop was conducted in an intensive and interactive manner. Participants engaged in in-depth two-way discussions covering writing strategies, research topic selection, and practical tips for increasing citation impact.
Through this initiative, USK aims to foster the production of high-quality scientific publications that will enhance the university’s global reputation while contributing meaningfully to the advancement of science and society.
