The S-1 Communication Science Universitas Negeri Jakarta successfully held a webinar titled “Embedding Intercultural Competencies Across Disciplines in Social Sciences” on Friday, June 13, 2025, from 8:30 to 11:30 WIB via the Zoom Meeting platform.
The webinar featured Sunny Lie Owens, Ph.D., Associate Professor from California State Polytechnic, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), who has recently completed her teaching assignment as a visiting lecturer for the courses Cross-Cultural Communication and Critical Theory in the S-1 Communication Science UNJ. The webinar was opened by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Firdaus Wajdi, MA., Ph.D., and moderated by one of the lecturers in the S-1 Communication Science, Sandy Allifiansyah, MA., Ph.D.
Attended by over 200 participants, Sunny Lie Owens, Ph.D., shared her insights on the importance of developing intercultural competencies in the social sciences curriculum, particularly in higher education institutions in Indonesia. According to her, there are several aspects that can be implemented to ensure that higher education curricula in Indonesia incorporate these competencies, such as integrating the curriculum with learning activities that collaborate Indonesian students with international students.
Sunny also shared a case study highlighting the importance of understanding and adapting attitudes and communication styles with people from different cultural backgrounds. The webinar ended with a Q&A session between participants, faculty members from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law and S-1 Communication Science students, and Sunny.
The Coordinator of the S-1 Communication Science UNJ, Dr. Dini Safitri, S.Sos., M.Si., CPR, expressed her feelings about the webinar, “This is not a farewell collaboration between Prof. Sunny and the S-1 Communication Sciences UNJ. In addition to ongoing collaboration on a book chapter with FISH UNJ, we have already planned that after Prof. Sunny returns to her university, there will be an online course in the form of a focus group discussion (FGD) between Prof. Sunny’s students at Cal Poly Polonia and UNJ S-1 Communication Science students. May this plan proceed smoothly. Aamin,” said Dini.
