The Master’s Program in Social Welfare (MKS), Faculty of Da’wah and Communication, held a Curriculum Review on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. WIB in the 2nd Floor Meeting Room of the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication. The activity served as a forum for evaluating and improving the MKS curriculum. Although the current curriculum has only been implemented for approximately one year, periodic review is important to ensure that it remains relevant to developments in the field, labor market needs, and the professional competencies required in social welfare. Approximately 30 participants attended the event, including the Chairperson of IPSPI DIY, students from different cohorts, MKS faculty members, the Dean and Vice Dean I of the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication, as well as representatives from social care institutions and the Social Affairs Office of Yogyakarta Special Region.

The event opened with remarks from the Dean of the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication, Prof. Arif Maftuhin, who emphasized the importance of considering the distinctive characteristics of graduate-level education in curriculum development. He noted that a master’s curriculum has different academic demands and credit-weight requirements from an undergraduate curriculum, with greater emphasis on analytical abilities, research competencies, and deeper academic expertise. Meanwhile, Dr. Muh Ulil Abshor, Head of the MKS Program, explained that the curriculum review was conducted to gather input regarding the strengths, shortcomings, and areas for improvement in the existing curriculum. Although the curriculum has only been implemented for one year, feedback from various stakeholders is essential to ensure that it remains responsive to the needs of students, communities, and professionals in the field of social welfare.

The curriculum review featured two speakers, namely Dr. Rudi Saprudin Darwis, Chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Social Welfare Study Programs (ApKPSI), and Adi Erwan Soetopo, M.A., a Lecturer and Training Specialist at the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Dr. Rudi Saprudin Darwis appreciated the distinctive features of the MKS curriculum, particularly its focus on strategic areas such as migration, geospatial-based economic empowerment, disability studies, and various social welfare studies integrated with Islamic perspectives. He also suggested that the total curriculum workload be considered for adjustment to 43 credits and that the graduate profile currently formulated as Lead Researcher be revised to Expert Social Welfare Researcher, which he considered more appropriate for reflecting the competencies and professional positioning of master’s graduates.

Meanwhile, Adi Erwan Soetopo, M.A. highlighted the practical learning component within the MKS curriculum. He explained that practical learning has already been incorporated into the curriculum through the allocation of 1 practical credit within each course, ensuring that learning is not solely focused on theoretical mastery. However, participants emphasized the need for a mechanism to ensure that the implementation of teaching and learning activities is consistent with the Semester Learning Plan (RPS). This input is important to ensure that the integration of theory and practice is not merely stated in curriculum documents but is also effectively implemented in the learning process.

The curriculum review was conducted in a participatory manner, involving academics, students, practitioners, professional organizations, and social service stakeholders. The various inputs gathered during the review will subsequently be examined in greater depth by the MKS Curriculum Small Team. The team will carefully review suggestions concerning curriculum structure and credit allocation, graduate profiles, course content, and the implementation of learning activities, before formulating recommendations and appropriate follow-up actions. The results of the small team’s discussion will serve as a basis for the MKS Program in determining systematic curriculum improvements while maintaining its academic distinctiveness and ensuring alignment with the competencies required of Master’s graduates in Social Welfare. Through this activity, the MKS Program reaffirmed its commitment to developing an adaptive and relevant curriculum capable of producing graduates with strong academic competencies and professional skills to address diverse social welfare challenges in society.