Johor Bahru, Malaysia – Dr. M. Faruq Ubaidillah, a faculty member of the English Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), Universitas Islam Malang (UNISMA), was honored to be a guest lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) from April 22 to 24, 2025.
The event was organized by the Language Academy under the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH), UTM Johor Bahru, and was attended by postgraduate students and lecturers from the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program. Notably, UTM currently ranks 181st in the world according to the QS World University Rankings 2025.
On the first day, Tuesday, April 22, Dr. Faruq delivered a lecture titled “Narrative Inquiry as a Methodology for Social Science Research”, which received an enthusiastic response from participants. On the second day, Wednesday, April 23, he shared insights into his doctoral journey and effective strategies for conducting research and publishing in reputable international journals—topics highly relevant to UTM’s doctoral students.
The third session, held on Thursday, April 24, featured a co-teaching experience with Dr. Huan Yik Lee, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Master’s Program in TESL at UTM, in the Language Policy and Planning course. In this session, Dr. Faruq presented a lecture titled “Language Teacher Identity Construction: A Look at Past, Present, and Future Narratives”, which explored the evolving nature of English language teacher identity.
Beyond theoretical discussion, Dr. Faruq also shared practical insights and experiences in English language teaching from a poststructuralist perspective, and discussed its implications within the Southeast Asian education context, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. The sessions were dynamic and interactive, with active participation from students.
“Dr. Faruq’s presence was a valuable opportunity for our students to broaden their academic perspectives,” said Dr. Huan Yik Lee, who participated throughout the three-day program.
In addition to academic exchange, the event also served to strengthen institutional ties between UNISMA and UTM. Both universities have expressed a commitment to continue collaboration through joint research, faculty exchange, and other professional development initiatives.
Dr. Hamiddin, Dean of FKIP UNISMA, expressed his pride in the involvement of FKIP lecturers in international academic forums. “Our faculty’s active participation at the global level reflects FKIP UNISMA’s commitment to continuous growth and meaningful contributions to education, in line with UNISMA’s vision of becoming a World Class University,” he stated.
This event exemplifies UNISMA’s ongoing mission to be a leading international institution grounded in academic excellence and Islamic values.