October 21, 2026 – The atmosphere in Khadijah Hall felt lively as students entered the room one by one to attend a seminar held by IPB University. This seminar, which is part of the SUGT program, carries the theme of self-development, a topic considered closely related to students’ preparation for international education.

 

The event was lively and exciting, evident from the enthusiasm of the students who actively asked questions and the laughter that accompanied the event. The speakers presented were also extraordinary, namely Mrs. Laily Dwi Arsyianti, a graduate of the International Islamic University Malaysia, and Mr. Miftah Rahman, a graduate of Mississippi State University.

 

IPB University’s Strategic Role in the SUGT Program

The presence of IPB University in the SUGT program is very crucial. This institution serves as the main pioneer in preparing the character building and leadership of the students. This coaching is important because it is specifically designed to develop the students’ potential and character that may not have been fully honed yet.

 

The programs offered by IPB University are quite diverse, including the Garuda Challenge: Battle of Minds, Personal Excellence Development Session, and Future Leader Mentoring Clinic. In addition, to support online learning, IPB University provides a Learning Management System (LMS) portal via the website https://lms-lkpe.ipb.ac.id/. Inside the portal, there are three accessible courses: courses for students, teachers, and strategic partnership partners.

 

Opening of the Seminar by the Head of LKPE IPB University

Before the event began, the students appeared orderly filling out the attendance list at the back of the hall while receiving refreshments from the committee. The students were then directed to sit in the provided chairs with separated areas: male students in the front and female students in the back.

 

At exactly 09:00 AM, the event started. The activity was opened with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Muhammad Dafi Elhaq Hidayatullah, followed by welcoming remarks from Ustadz Soleh Azis Zaelani. In his speech, Ustadz Soleh highlighted the data of As-Syifa Wanareja alumni, the majority of whom continued their studies at IPB.

 

The next welcoming speech was delivered by the Head of LKPE IPB University, Dr. Ir. Naufal Mahfudz, M.M. He advised the students to make the best use of this excellent program. “Students must have strong mental resilience and an adaptive attitude to compete at the global level,” he said. This opening session was closed with the presentation of a plaque to Mr. Naufal.

 

Building the GARUDA Character with Mrs. Laily

Entering the main event, the first material presentation was delivered by Mrs. Laily Dwi Arsyianti, S.E., M.Sc., Ph.D., who currently serves as the Director of CIBEST IPB. She discussed the six personal SUGT characters abbreviated as GARUDA: Gigih (Persistent), Adaptif (Adaptive), Religius (Religious), Unggul (Excellent), Disiplin (Disciplined), and Amanah (Trustworthy). However, the focus of the discussion in this session emphasized the “Persistent” and “Adaptive” characters.

 

Mrs. Laily started her session very interactively. She asked the students to write their dreams on sticky notes and then paste them on the wall magazine (mading). Laughter and cheerful smiles radiated as the students read each other’s dreams. In their hearts, they pinned great hopes of being accepted into their respective dream universities.

 

After returning to their seats, Mrs. Laily explained the importance of discipline and independence in managing the learning process. She then invited the students to discuss how to determine priorities when faced with many tasks with tight deadlines. The students looked enthusiastic in presenting various opinions. Mrs. Laily concluded that the main key is to prioritize the most urgent matters, such as studying or memorizing first. The first session ended with a reminder about the Individual Development Plan (IDP) task and a mini challenge, before the students were directed to the mosque for the Zuhr prayer.

 

Becoming an Excellent Individual with Mr. Miftah Rahman

After the break, the second material was presented by Dr. Miftah Rahman, S.Hut., M.Si., an Assistant Professor and Project Executor Manager at IPB University. Mr. Miftah thoroughly discussed the trait of being “Excellent”. According to him, being excellent is not just about being smart, but rather the willingness to keep learning, the courage to turn ideas into real actions, and firmly holding on to one’s identity.

 

To test their problem-solving skills, Mr. Miftah gave a daily case study discussion task: “How do you overcome the problem of gallon water availability in the dormitory that always runs out before its time?”

 

The students immediately discussed and summarized their solutions. Ten minutes later, one of the groups presented their opinion. They suggested implementing a naming and quota system for each gallon distributed to each room. This presentation received appreciation.

 

This insightful seminar series was finally closed with a prayer recitation by Musyaffa Syauqi Abdillah. After that, the students were directed to return to their respective dormitories.

 

This seminar left a profound impression on the participants. “In my opinion, this activity was very exciting. I gained knowledge that is very useful for my future, such as how to make the best use of time and discussing with friends. I hope seminars like this can continue to be beneficial in the future,” expressed one of the students.

 

Through this activity, it is hoped that students will be increasingly inspired to continue developing their interests and talents. The discussion and teamwork skills practiced today are also expected to generate smart ideas that will eventually bring benefits to the people and the nation.