Strengthening Finnish–Indonesian STEAM Cooperation: Dr. Achmad Samsudin’s Visit to Jyväskylä Hosted by Kristóf Fenyvesi (ILE, JYU)
In December 2025, Dr. Achmad Samsudin, Associate Professor at UPI, visited the University of Jyväskylä as part of the PKP–PMDSU 2025 international collaboration programme. The visit was hosted by Dr. Kristóf Fenyvesi, Senior Researcher at JYU and Associate Professor at UPI, who coordinates the cooperation in a dual academic role linking the two institutions.
Focus on Doctoral Supervision and Joint Research
A central aim of the visit was to support the doctoral research of PhD candidate Mohd Zaidi, supervised by Dr. Samsudin and co-supervised by Dr. Fenyvesi at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research. During the visit, intensive working sessions were held to:
- advance Zaidi’s doctoral research design,
- plan a structured publication pathway targeting international peer-reviewed journals, and
- align the PhD project with current research on STEAM education, technology-enhanced learning, and innovative learning environments.
These activities reflect ILE’s commitment to integrating doctoral education, high-quality research, and international mobility.
Strategic Cooperation for International Degree Pathways at JYU
In addition to research collaboration, Dr. Achmad Samsudin’s visit also contributed to the strategic development of international talent pathways to the University of Jyväskylä, particularly in STEM and technology-oriented degree programmes.
During the visit, a meeting was held with Dean Pasi Tyrväinen and Kati Clements Research Coordinator at the Faculty of Information Technology, focusing on how cooperation with Indonesian partner institutions could support international Bachelor’s and Master’s recruitment. The discussion highlighted the relevance of interdisciplinary programmes that combine technology, creativity, and higher educational innovation, such as JYU’s Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Immersive Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence.
In this context, Kristóf Fenyvesi, in his dual role as Senior Researcher at JYU and Associate Professor at UPI, enabling a concrete link between research collaboration, doctoral supervision, and student recruitment pathways. The partners explored how joint STEAM projects, visiting scholar exchanges, and Erasmus+ initiatives can serve as entry points for talented students to engage with JYU’s academic ecosystem and transition into its international degree programmes.
Research Exchange and Institutional Collaboration, including the University of Helsinki's LUMA Center and the Finnish STEM Network
The collaboration is further embedded in international frameworks such as the STEAMnet Global Education Network, supporting knowledge exchange across Europe and Southeast Asia. Beyond doctoral supervision, the visit included:
- research discussions and seminars with members of the ILE research group,
- planning meetings on future project cooperation (mobility and capacity-building actions), and
- exchanges on Finnish approaches to teacher education, STEAM pedagogy, and school–university collaboration, including links to the LUMA network. Meetings were held with LUMA's current and former directors, Prof. Jan Lundell and Prof. Maija Aksela, to expand cooperation.
Looking Ahead
The JYU–UPI partnership continues to develop as a strategic collaboration combining Finnish expertise in research-based teacher education with Indonesia’s rapidly evolving STEAM and EdTech landscape. Planned next steps include:
- joint project proposals,
- strategic development of international talent pathways to the University of Jyväskylä
- extended doctoral and researcher mobility, and
- co-authored publications and comparative research on innovative learning environments.
Through these initiatives, ILE aims to contribute to the global development of creative, human-centered, and sustainable learning environments.
