As a university ranked among the world’s top ~308 institutions per QS in 2024, Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) is advancing its internationalisation agenda through a recent guest lecture held at its Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences.
Universitas Airlangga, a major Indonesian public university committed to its motto “Excellence with Morality”, recognises the significant responsibility that comes with its standing in global higher‑education rankings. Operating under values that emphasise service‑orientation, accountability, competence, harmony, loyalty, adaptability and collaboration, UNAIR aims to carry out its Tridharma missions of teaching, research and community service — as well as university‑holding governance — at an excellent standard rooted in ethical norms, a strong academic culture, and goal‑orientation. To implement this internationally, UNAIR actively promotes student and staff mobility programmes, including student and staff exchange, joint research, resource sharing, recruiting international academic and administrative personnel, admitting foreign nationals, and forging partnerships with overseas institutions.
In line with its internationalisation efforts in education and research cooperation, the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FFK) of Universitas Airlangga recently organised an “International Guest Lecturer” session featuring Dr Muhammad Azfar bin Ismail, Senior Lecturer from Universiti Putra Malaysia. The event took place on Thursday, 15 May 2025, from 15:00 to 17:00 WIB in Room C501 of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences at Universitas Airlangga. The guest lecture on “Fish and spoilage: the hidden story” was attended by 65 students from the undergraduate programme in Fishery Products Technology (S1) and the postgraduate programme in Fisheries and Marine Biotechnology (S2).
In his presentation, Dr Azfar emphasised the importance of assessing fish freshness — given that fish, as a source of animal protein, is highly susceptible to quality deterioration. He explained how current technologies now allow the freshness of fishery products to be determined by advanced “non‑destructive” devices, thus eliminating the need for touching, tasting or smelling as is typically done in conventional sensory testing methods. Dr Azfar delivered his material using scientific language combined with popular‐level explanations to ensure accessibility for students. The International Guest Lecturer activity not only aimed to broaden students’ horizons but also encouraged them to actively and confidently use English. This was evident during the Q&A session, when approximately four students mustered the courage to ask questions in English about the topic delivered.
This event supports the Faculty’s and University’s strategic efforts to enhance global research collaboration, elevate the academic environment, increase international visibility, and strengthen the use of English among students and staff. By fostering such international guest lectures, UNAIR reinforces its commitment to becoming a globally recognised institution while remaining anchored in its moral‑academic foundation.
