Bandung, September 2025 – The English Education Study Program, School of Postgraduate Studies at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), achieved another important academic milestone by graduating 13 new PhDs in the odd semester of 2024/2025. The doctoral promotion series took place from August 8–31, 2025, at UPI Bandung Campus.
These 13 graduates presented research that not only enriches the field of English language teaching but also contributes directly to the development of educational practices in Indonesia. The research topics ranged from metacognitive strategies, task-based language teaching, systemic functional linguistics, translanguaging, multiliteracies pedagogy, teacher reflection, to the integration of artificial intelligence in teaching writing. This focus aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, which emphasizes the importance of equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education relevant to the challenges of the 21st century.
Research Highlights of the New PhDs
🔹 Dr. Renol Aprico Siregar – developed metacognitive strategies in Task-Based Language Teaching to improve students’ speaking performance.
🔹 Dr. Suharno – explored teaching presence strategies in online learning, relevant to the needs of digital education.
🔹 Dr. Metty Agustin Primary – integrated TBLT with Systemic Functional Linguistics for children’s learning in Tasikmalaya.
🔹 Dr. Yulia Hapsari – examined translanguaging practices in university-level English classes.
🔹 Dr. Erwin Pohan – studied the contribution of TBLT to students’ expository writing skills in the Riau Islands.
🔹 Dr. Irsyad Nugraha – developed a genre-based approach in teaching multimodal texts for prospective teachers.
🔹 Dr. Raynesa Noor Emiliasari – applied the SFL–Genre Based Approach in teaching multimodal text reading at universities.
🔹 Dr. Ahmad Syairofi – integrated Generative Artificial Intelligence into the Genre-Based Approach for teaching argumentative writing.
🔹 Dr. Elis Homsini Maolida – explored teacher reflection practices in English language education in Indonesia.
🔹 Dr. Intan Septia Latifa – promoted teacher autonomy through reflective practice among secondary school English teachers.
🔹 Dr. Untari Gunta – applied Learning-by-Design in multiliteracies pedagogy to enhance collaborative literacy.
🔹 Dr. Ahmad Kailani – analyzed the English curriculum for nursing and its alignment with the needs of students and healthcare stakeholders.
🔹 Dr. Susilowaty – developed metacognitive scaffolding to foster critical literacy among teenage learners.
This achievement shows that UPI’s English Education Program not only produces new PhDs but also cultivates language education experts ready to contribute to global research, curriculum development, and the improvement of national education quality. Through their scholarly work, UPI strengthens its role as a pioneering university in providing quality and sustainable education while contributing to the achievement of the SDGs at both national and international levels.
(Wawan Gunawan)