Bandung, 28 April 2026 - The Arabic Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Literature Education (FPBS), Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, welcomed a visit from the Language Center of the Human Resources Development Agency for Defense, Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia, in an activity titled Arabic Language and Cultural Orientation on Tuesday (28/4). The activity aimed to strengthen Arabic language competence and cultural understanding among military personnel, particularly from the Indonesian Army.
The Ministry of Defense delegation was led by Colonel (Special Duty) Dr. Toto Mustopa Ahmad, M.Pd.I, Manager of the Arabic Language Training Program at the Language Center of BPSDM Kemenhan RI. Also present were representatives from Pusdik Pengmilum, namely Major Roni Aspani, S.Sos. and Sergeant Unggara Saputra, along with participants of the joint Arabic language training program from the Indonesian Army.
The delegation was welcomed directly by the Head of the Arabic Language Education Study Program, Dr. Asep Sopian, M.Ag., accompanied by the Program Secretary, Dr. Rinaldi Supriadi, M.Pd., and the student affairs lecturer, Dr. Mia Nurmala, M.Pd. In his remarks, Colonel (Special Duty) Dr. Toto Mustopa Ahmad, M.Pd.I expressed appreciation for the implementation of this activity as an important part of preparing military personnel to become more familiar with Arab culture while also strengthening their command of Arabic as one of the international languages.
The series of activities unfolded in a dynamic and educational manner. The program opened with a performance by alumni of the Arabic Language Education Study Program, who presented Ghina ‘Arabiy (Arabic songs). Next, Arabic Language Education students staged a musical drama that reflected their creativity and command of Arabic in the context of performing arts. Meanwhile, participants from the Indonesian Army delivered khitobah (Arabic speeches) introducing the profile of the Indonesian Army in Arabic. In addition, participants also received a socialization session on Ikhtibar Kafa’ah al-‘Arabiyah (IKHFA) delivered by Ust. Farhan Fuadi, M.Pd.
The activity continued with a campus tour guided by students of BEM KEMABA (the Arabic Language Student Association), giving participants direct experience in becoming acquainted with UPI’s academic environment. The event then concluded with a joint documentation session as a form of strengthening cooperation between educational institutions and the defense sector.
Overall, the activity served not only as a means of strengthening language competence and cross-cultural understanding, but also as a reflection of strategic collaboration between the education sector and the defense sector in human resource development. This initiative is in line with the global commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly quality education (SDG 4) and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17), both of which emphasize the importance of cross-sector collaboration in improving educational quality and global capacity.
Contributor: Farhan Fuadi