Advancing International Engagement Across Borders: Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D., Awarded the Sustainable Excellence Award UIN SSC 2025 in Global Research Collaboration
Cirebon, February 8, 2026 — Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D., Director of the International Office of UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon (UIN SSC), has been awarded the Sustainable Excellence Award 2025 in the category of Global Research Collaboration (Most Collaborative International Author). The award was formally granted following the Decree of the Head of the Institute for Research and Community Service issued on December 31, 2025. This prestigious recognition represents the university’s highest appreciation for sustained contributions to research excellence and social impact. The award highlights the role of international collaboration as a strategic pillar in institutional sustainability. Through this achievement, UIN SSC underscores its commitment to globally engaged and ethically grounded scholarship. The recognition further reflects the growing influence of UIN SSC within international academic landscapes.
The Sustainable Excellence Award is conferred upon lecturers, educational personnel, researchers, students, academic journals, and study programs that demonstrate exceptional dedication to research and community-oriented initiatives. These contributions are assessed based on their continuity, relevance, and measurable impact on education and society. Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D. received the Global Research Collaboration Award under the category of lecturers, educational staff, and researchers. His selection reflects the university’s acknowledgment of collaborative scholarship as a driver of sustainable academic growth. Rather than prioritizing individual prominence, his work emphasizes shared intellectual advancement. This achievement marks an important milestone in UIN SSC’s pursuit of meaningful internationalization.
Recognized for his principled academic leadership, Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D. has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering equitable cross-border research partnerships. This leadership is firmly grounded in his scholarly authority, as he is recognized as the first Associate Professor in Indonesia whose academic specialization centers on Multisensory Computer-Assisted Language Learning (M-CALL). His scholarly interests span Multisensory CALL, culturally responsive pedagogy, and regenerative approaches to language education, informed by his work in neuroaesthetics, the Verbotonal Approach, and technology-enhanced learning. These areas reflect his belief that innovation must remain inseparable from ethical responsibility and cultural awareness. “True international collaboration is not about visibility alone, but about shared growth rooted in mutual respect,” he stated, underscoring his vision of internationalization as a collective and sustainable academic endeavor.
The strength of his global research engagement was further evidenced in 2025 through his contribution as one of the authors of the book Multisensory CALL for Under-Resourced Universities and Schools in Indonesia. The publication was developed in collaboration with Luqman Baehaqi (UIN Palangka Raya, Indonesia) alongside internationally renowned scholars Ania Lian (Charles Darwin University, Australia), and Andrew Lian (Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand, and The University of Canberra, Australia). The book has been distributed internationally, reaching academic audiences across the Nordic region, the United States, Germany, and Japan. Through this scholarly work, Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D. advanced two core pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals in education: innovation and interdisciplinarity. The publication bridges technology, equity, and contextual relevance in language education. It also positions Indonesian scholarship as an integral contributor to global academic discourse.
In his role as Director of the International Office, Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D. has been instrumental in expanding UIN SSC’s global research networks. Under his leadership, numerous international seminars, webinars, focus group discussions, and institutional partnerships have been successfully initiated. These initiatives have strengthened academic exchange while fostering long-term institutional sustainability. A significant milestone was achieved in November 2025 with the AsiaCALL International Conference themed “AI in Language Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions.” The conference brought together 92 selected abstracts from 194 authors representing 14 different countries. This forum facilitated critical dialogue and collaborative reflection on the future of language education in a global context.
Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D. articulated a vision of education that moves beyond linear progress toward regenerative transformation. He emphasized that “SDGs 4 (Quality Education) will not be achieved through linearity, but through regeneration,” highlighting sustainability as an ongoing process of renewal. His current academic focus includes Sundanese cultural heritage such as Carita Pantun, ecological perspectives in learning, and the BIMA framework—Bridging Intelligence, Mindfulness, and Awareness. These initiatives integrate culture, ecology, and consciousness into language education, reinforcing sustainability at conceptual and practical levels. His work demonstrates that global recognition can coexist with local wisdom. As he concluded, “Traditional ELT extracts meaning, while regenerative language education restores it,” affirming his merit as a recipient of the Sustainable Excellence Award 2025.
Author: Salsabilla