Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR) – The academic contribution of Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR) lecturers continues to make its mark on the international academic stage. Dr. Yuli Widiyono, M.Pd., a lecturer in the Teacher Professional Education (PPG) Program at UMPWR, was invited to serve as a Featured Speaker at the International Conference on Research in Education and Teaching (iCREATE) 2026, held on August 12–13, 2026, at Universitas Muhammadiyah Cirebon, West Java.
Organized by the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Cirebon (UMC), the conference carried the theme “Transforming Teacher Education through Technology, and Sustainable Innovation.” iCREATE 2026 provided a forum for educators, researchers, students, and education practitioners to exchange ideas on technological developments, learning innovations, and the strengthening of sustainable teacher education.
At the conference, Dr. Yuli Widiyono presented his research entitled “Interactive Script Learning Media Innovation to Enhance Accessibility and Competence of Students with Disabilities.” The research focuses on the development of Smart Braille, an interactive learning medium designed to assist visually impaired students in learning the Javanese script.
Using a Research and Development (R&D) approach adapted from the ADDIE model, Smart Braille was developed to automatically and interactively recognize, translate, and vocalize Javanese script text. The innovation is expected not only to improve learning access for students with visual impairments but also to make Javanese script learning more adaptive and engaging.
The research also demonstrates how technology can serve as a bridge toward more inclusive learning. At the same time, the development of Smart Braille is closely connected to efforts to preserve the Javanese script as part of Indonesia’s cultural heritage, ensuring that it remains accessible to learners with diverse educational needs.
The iCREATE 2026 program book describes Yuli Widiyono as a UMPWR academic whose work focuses on inclusive education and the development of innovative learning media for students with disabilities. His research highlights the use of adaptive technology to improve learning accessibility and competence, particularly through the development of interactive Smart Braille media for learning the Javanese script.
UMPWR’s participation in iCREATE 2026 was not limited to Dr. Yuli Widiyono’s role as a Featured Speaker. UMPWR also served as a co-host, together with Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, Universitas Muhammadiyah Bangka Belitung, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kotabumi, Universitas Wiralodra Indramayu, Universitas Kuningan, Universitas Nurul Huda, and Universitas Muhammadiyah Tasikmalaya.
The conference brought together speakers from Indonesia and abroad. The keynote speakers included Prof. Atip Latipulhayat, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D., Deputy Minister for Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia; Arif Nurudin, M.T., Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Cirebon; and Dr. Hj. Fikriyah, M.A., Dean of FKIP UMC.
Meanwhile, the plenary speakers included academics from universities in Indonesia and overseas, including Prof. Dr. Arumugam Raman from Universiti Utara Malaysia, Maria Meredith, Ph.D. from the University of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, Mohammad Hallak, Ph.D. from Al Taqwa College, Melbourne–Victoria, Dr. Dewi Nurdiya nti, SST., M.Pd. from Universitas Muhammadiyah Cirebon, and Dr. Suharno, M.Pd. from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
A wide range of educational issues were discussed during iCREATE 2026, including technology integration in primary and early childhood education, pedagogy in language education and literacy development, technology-enhanced mathematics learning, and innovative approaches to science and chemistry education through technology.
The conference also addressed artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in teacher education, professional development in support of the Sustainable Development Goals, technology-enhanced curriculum design and assessment, as well as inclusive, equitable, and quality education.
Other topics included education for sustainability, global citizenship, 21st-century skills, research methodologies, and best practices in technology- and sustainability-oriented education.
For UMPWR, participation in the international forum is part of its ongoing effort to expand academic networks while introducing the research and innovations of its lecturers to a broader educational community. Dr. Yuli Widiyono’s role as a Featured Speaker also reflects the opportunity for research and innovation developed at UMPWR to contribute to international discussions on the future of education.
