Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR), through its Elementary School Teacher Education Study Program (PGSD), once again demonstrated its commitment to advancing elementary education that is adaptive to the demands of the modern era. This commitment was reflected in the organization of the 2026 National Seminar on Elementary Education, themed “21st-Century Learning: Building an Adaptive and Competitive Generation,” held at the Kasman Singodimedjo Auditorium, UMPWR, on Saturday (June 13, 2026).
As an annual academic agenda of the PGSD Study Program, the seminar featured two distinguished speakers in the field of education: Prof. Herman Dwi Surjono, M.Sc., M.T., Ph.D., Professor at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) and an expert in educational technology and digital learning, and Dr. Ari Wijayanti, an elementary education practitioner and teacher at SD Negeri Pengalasan.
This year’s seminar attracted 233 participants and 110 presenters from various universities across Indonesia, including representatives from Central Java, East Java, West Java, and several other regions. In addition to attending the main seminar sessions, presenters shared their research findings in parallel presentation sessions conducted in multiple classrooms according to their respective fields of study.
The forum served as a platform for exchanging ideas, experiences, and research outcomes among academics, students, and education practitioners. The academic interactions fostered during the event are expected to strengthen scholarly networks while encouraging the development of innovative learning practices that can be implemented in schools.
The seminar was officially opened by the Rector of UMPWR, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teguh Wibowo, M.Pd., marked by the symbolic striking of a gong. In his opening remarks, he expressed appreciation for the consistency of the PGSD Study Program in organizing the national seminar as a medium for disseminating knowledge, innovation, and the latest developments in elementary education.
According to him, elementary education serves as a crucial foundation for developing students’ character and academic abilities. Therefore, elementary school teachers are expected to possess broad competencies and the ability to adapt to the rapid advancement of science and technology.
“Elementary school teachers play a highly strategic role as they are at the forefront of shaping students’ character and providing them with fundamental knowledge. Through activities like this, students and teachers can broaden their perspectives, enhance their competencies, and enrich their teaching practices to become more innovative and effective,” he stated.
Furthermore, the Rector expressed his hope that the national seminar would continue to strengthen the academic culture within UMPWR while supporting the continuous improvement of the PGSD Study Program toward higher levels of excellence.
Chairperson of the 2026 National Seminar on Elementary Education, Muhammad Ferdian Syaifullah, M.Pd., explained that the event was designed as an academic forum to address the challenges faced by elementary education amid the rapidly evolving digital transformation era. He emphasized that strengthening 21st-century skills has become an essential requirement in preparing future generations.
“Today, elementary education is not only focused on content mastery but also on developing the 4C skills: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. At the same time, various government policies related to coding education and artificial intelligence (AI) require teachers to continuously enhance their competencies in order to deliver learning experiences that are relevant to technological developments,” Ferdian explained.
He further noted that the seminar materials were designed comprehensively by combining academic perspectives with practical experiences from the field. Prof. Herman discussed concepts, theories, and the latest trends in digital learning, while Dr. Ari Wijayanti shared firsthand experiences regarding the implementation of technology and innovative teaching practices in elementary schools.
The organization of the 2026 National Seminar on Elementary Education serves as tangible evidence of UMPWR’s commitment to supporting sustainable educational transformation. Through the strengthening of digital competencies, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, UMPWR continues to prepare prospective teachers and professional educators who are adaptive, innovative, and capable of nurturing outstanding generations ready to face the challenges of the 21st century.
(Akb/KP)
