Pekanbaru, October 13, 2026 – Universitas Islam Riau (UIR) continues to strengthen its international academic network through a collaboration with Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) in organizing the International Symposium on Mechanical and Functional Materials (ISFM 2026). The event was held on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the Third-Floor Auditorium of UIR’s Postgraduate Building in Pekanbaru, Indonesia.
The international symposium served as a platform for knowledge exchange, research dissemination, and academic collaboration in engineering, particularly in the fields of mechanical and functional materials. This initiative also reflects both universities’ commitment to promoting innovation and improving higher education quality through cross-border partnerships.
Representing UIR Rector Dr. Admiral, S.H., M.H., the Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Alumni, Cooperation, and Islamic Outreach, Dr. Ir. H. Deddy Purnomo Retno, S.T., M.T., GP., A-Utama, emphasized that ISFM 2026 represents an important international collaboration that provides academics and students with opportunities to broaden their knowledge and gain insights into the latest technological developments.
The symposium featured Prof. Dr. Shahruddin bin Mahzan as the keynote speaker, presenting “Damage Detection to Smart Structures: Advancing the Future of Structural Health Monitoring.” Four additional presenters shared their research findings: Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Hamimah binti Abd Rahman on fuel cell technology; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sufizar Ahmad on the fabrication of silica-based water filters; Dr. Ir. Dedikarni, S.T., M.Sc. on rare earth elements and functional materials for sustainable engineering; and Dr. Ir. Eddy Elfiano, S.T., M.Eng. on mixed convection heat transfer in hybrid nanofluids.
Head of UIR’s Bureau of Cooperation and International Affairs (BKUI), Dini Tiara Sasmi, S.IP., M.Si., M.A., highlighted that the symposium was also part of broader institutional efforts to strengthen bilateral relations through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), and Implementation Arrangement (IA) between UIR and UTHM.
Through ISFM 2026, UIR expects to further expand its partnership with UTHM in education, research, scientific publications, and academic exchange. This collaboration is expected to enhance institutional competitiveness and strengthen both universities’ contributions to international scientific and technological development.
