The Faculty of Agriculture at UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta held an online focus group discussion (FGD) with Prof. Iin Handayani, a professor from Murray State University, United States. The event, which took place on Monday, September 1, 2025, focused on the theme of Agricultural Resource Development and was attended by lecturers from the faculty.

During the dynamic discussion, Prof. Iin Handayani conveyed several key points relevant to the role of lecturers today. She emphasized that writing is a core duty for lecturers, which includes preparing proposals for community service and research, as well as publishing in journals. To start, she advised junior lecturers to consistently write at least two articles per year and to use their teaching materials as a basis for scientific publications.

Furthermore, Prof. Iin also discussed the importance of international collaboration. She explained that collaboration can begin by building networks with researchers who have similar topics, which can then evolve into opportunities for joint research with funding support. She stressed the importance of academic ethics, where collaboration must be genuine and not merely "borrowing a name" from a foreign researcher.

Beyond academic issues, Prof. Iin also highlighted the importance of work-life balance as a key to maintaining lecturers' long-term productivity.

This FGD is expected to motivate lecturers to be more productive in writing, expand research collaborations, and build stronger international networks. The Faculty of Agriculture is committed to continuing similar activities to enhance the quality of the "Tridharma of Higher Education" (Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi). (DA)