UIN Sunan Kalijaga and UiTM Malaysia Collaborate on International Webinar on Digital Information Literacy

Yogyakarta, 21 June 2025 — Students of the Library Science Study Program, Faculty of Adab and Cultural Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, once again demonstrated their presence in international collaboration networks through active participation in an International Webinar titled “Advancing Information & Digital Literacy in the Library and Information Science (LIS) Landscape”, organized by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, on Saturday (21/6). This activity was part of the Service Learning Malaysia – University for Society (SULAM) program, which aims to build cross-border academic synergy and broaden students’ understanding of the importance of information and digital literacy in the global era.

The webinar was held online via Google Meet and was also broadcast live on YouTube, allowing it to reach participants from various countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia.

Exploring digital overload and mental health

Three speakers were invited, each presenting complementary topics. The first speaker, Ms. Maizani Md Halim, addressed the issue of “Digital Overload: How Information Saturation Affects Mental Health”. In her presentation, she emphasized the negative impact of excessive information exposure on mental health and stressed the importance of developing digital mindfulness as one of the solutions for dealing with an era of nonstop information.

According to her, users today are constantly bombarded with content from multiple platforms, which can trigger stress, fatigue, and reduced focus if not managed properly. Therefore, she encouraged participants to practice awareness in consuming digital information, including setting limits, prioritizing content, and taking regular breaks from screens.

Critical understanding and sharing of information in the digital world

The second speaker, Mr. Muhammad Arshad, delivered a presentation titled “How We Understand and Share Information in a Digital World”. He highlighted how patterns of information sharing have changed drastically due to the rapid development of digital technology. In particular, he discussed the role of social media and digital communication platforms in accelerating information dissemination while at the same time increasing the risks of misinformation and disinformation.

He underlined the need for strong critical thinking skills to filter circulating information, especially on social media. According to him, users must not only be able to access information, but also evaluate its credibility, identify biases, and understand the context before sharing it further.

University libraries as prime information hubs

The third speaker, Mr. Bernard Ang Kok Vui, presented a topic titled “Prime Information Hub for University Students”. He emphasized the strategic role of university libraries as central information hubs for students. Through the utilization of technology and innovation, libraries can provide digital-based services that are relevant to the needs of today’s generation.

He explained that modern libraries are no longer limited to physical collections, but also offer access to digital databases, electronic journals, online repositories, and various information literacy training programs. In this way, libraries help students strengthen their academic skills, support research, and navigate complex digital information landscapes more effectively.

Strengthening internationalization and student engagement

The active participation of Library Science students from UIN Sunan Kalijaga in this webinar is part of the study program’s internationalization agenda, which encourages student involvement in global academic forums. Throughout the event, participants had the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers through question-and-answer sessions. The webinar was also enlivened by interactive activities such as quizzes and games that boosted participants’ enthusiasm and engagement.

Through this international webinar, it is hoped that students will not only gain theoretical insights into information and digital literacy, but also develop practical awareness of how to use digital technology in a critical, ethical, and mentally healthy manner.

Writer:

Athallah Akmal Baihaqi (AKB)