The Association of Communication Science Department in Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions (APIK PTMA) held a National Gathering (Silat) of APIK PTMA held in Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo (Umsida), Monday-Tuesday (19-20/12). By raising the theme “The Challenges of Digital Communication in The New Normal Era”, the gathering also consisted of several series of activities including international seminars, conferences and workshops. Muhammad Himawan Sutanto, the Chairman of APIK PTMA, mentioned that the program consisted real and implemented methods to overcome various problems in communication. As planned, the program should be conducted twice a year, but the first gathering was cancelled due to the pandemic. “Even though the schedule has changed from the plan, the aim of the program continues to be realised as a large number of contestants and international conference speakers,” he added.

Also attending as a speaker, Prof. Widodo Muktiyo as the Muhammadiyah Council for Higher Education, Research and Development attended in Umsida. Besides Prof. Wid, Novi Kurnia, an Universitas Gadjah Mada lecturer, Sonny B. Harmadi was the Covid-19 Task Force for Behavior Change, and Fajar Junaedi, the Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta lecturer also presented their materials at the seminar.  It was attended by 250 Communication Studies students from various Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions, as well as several overseas campuses from India and China. The program also received appreciation from Prof. Ahmad Jainuri, the Member of the Muhammadiyah Council for Higher Education and Dr Hidayatullah, the Chancellor of Umsida. “We hope that this program can produce a formulation of action plans that can be implemented in the incoming APIK program,” he explained.