The innovation of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Borobudur by Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) stole enormous attention at the 2024 Independent Campus Fair in Padang. These innovations aim to serve as educational media in learning the Borobudur cultural heritage.
The VR and AR showcased the Borobudur Temple by providing bilingual content, including Indonesian and English. Thus, these innovations can also be utilized by foreigners and locals. The designing process of these innovations involves six faculty members from various departments at Udinus.
The designer team consisted of three instructors from the English Department, which bore the responsibility of providing bilingual content. Those instructors were Dr. Raden Arief Nugroho, M.Hum., Dr. Dra. Sri Mulatsih, M.Pd., and Valentian Widya Suryaningtyas, M.Hum. As for the storyboard aspect, it would be handled by Drs. A. Soerjawardhana, M.Pd., an instructor from the Hotel Management Department.
The final products in the form of VR and AR would be created by two faculty members from the Visual Communication Department—the collaboration between these two faculties aimed to create IT-based bilingual education media.
Dr. Dra. Sri Mulatsih, M.Pd., as the team leader, explained that these VR/AR Borobudur Innovations were presented as education media. They aimed to introduce history and insight concerning the Borobudur Temple. The decision to employ the IT approach was made to attract students to expand their knowledge. Furthermore, Dr. Dra. Sri Mulatsih, M.Pd also expressed her joy that the innovation designed by her team could attract a spotlight at the 2024 Independent Campus Fair.
“We have seen that numerous local and foreign visitors at the Independent Campus Fair were interested in our innovations. Various visitors also praised us for our work,” she emphasized.
The Evolution of the Education Sector
Responding to these novel innovations, Kiki Yuliati (the General Director of Vocational Education) stated that the Independent Campus Fair, which is hosted annually, sought to give a whole new meaning to the Independent Campus Program, including the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Belajar program (MBKM).
“Hopefully this event will allow many inspirative stories to emerge, as well as constructive feedback. By doing so, many parties will eventually involve themselves in transforming higher education in Indonesia, particularly in Sumatera, through the Independent Campus program,” uttered Kiki Yulianti in the Auditorium of Universitas PGRI of Padang, West Sumatera.
The 2024 Independent Campus Fair did not only showcase VR/AR Borobudur from Udinus but also other intriguing activities. Those activities included a sharing session on Regional Sector Priority, an Announcement of Guidebook of the 2024 Independent Campus Program, the Launching of Practical Books, a Discussion Concerning Innovation, Entrepreneurial Leadership Partnership, and sharing session about the Flagship Programs. In addition, there were also booths or stands of LLDikti of the I-XVII Region at the fair. (Humas Udinus/Alex. Foto: Humas Udinus).
