Mataram, University of Mataram – The Communication Studies Program at the University of Mataram (Ilkom Unram Study Program) held the 2024 National Seminar on Communication (SEMNASKOM) on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at the Golden Palace Hotel, Lombok.

This seminar is an event to disseminate the results of community service involving academics, bureaucrats, and communication practitioners from various parts of Indonesia. This year’s SEMNASKOM carries the theme “Communication, Digitalization, and Sustainable Development” and has entered its sixth year of implementation.

The event was attended by 54 presenters from various universities in Indonesia. They presented articles that reviewed various topics related to communication and digitalization in relation to sustainable development.

The head of the committee, Asrin Dimas Tri Fathullah, S.I.P., M.I.Kom., expressed his appreciation to all participants and speakers who contributed to this activity. “I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the participation of all presenters and participants who have participated in SEMNASKOM this year both offline and online. Thank you also for the participation and support from the extraordinary speakers,” said Asrin.

Dean of the Faculty of Law, Social and Political Sciences (FHISIP), Dr. Lalu Wira Pria Suhartana, S.H., M.H., in his speech, emphasized the importance of synergy between communication and digitalization in accelerating development.

“I see that this synergy is very important because digitalization in the subject of sustainable development is very important. This means that with digitalization, communication can be spread easily. Then, it facilitates participation and also consolidation because information is so quickly accessible to the public,” he said.

On the other hand, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of Unram, Prof. Dr. Sitti Hilyana, conveyed the importance of the collaboration that has been established between Unram and international universities. Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Utara Malaysia, who were the speakers this time, are Unram’s strategic partner universities.

“The theme of this seminar is crucial. First there is communication, then there is digitalization, and there is sustainable development. These three topics are an ecosystem that we cannot separate. The results are expected to provide recommendations to the government, especially related to the 17 SDGs points that we all focus on,” said Prof. Nana.

Prof. Nana also emphasized that the synergy between communication, digitalization, and sustainable development is the main foundation in the effort to achieve SDGs goals. According to him, these three elements support each other and accelerate the transformation process in various sectors, especially in the digital era like today.

Programs carried out by universities, including community service activities, are also expected to contain points from the SDGs, so that collaboration between Unram and partner universities is expected to be able to produce innovations that have a real impact on society and government in realizing sustainable development.

SEMNASKOM 2024 presented international speakers, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Akmar Hayati from Universiti Putra Malaysia and Dr. Adibah Ismail from Universiti Utara Malaysia, who became speakers at the first plenary session. While in the second plenary session, two speakers were also presented, Prof. Dr. Ir. Suwardji from Unram and Muhammad, S.Pd., an activist of village information systems.

SEMNASKOM 2024 is clear evidence that communication and digitalization have a strategic role in supporting sustainable development, and encouraging cross-sector collaboration between academics, practitioners, and government.