Jakarta, INTI - Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer viewed as a threat that will replace human roles in academia. Instead, Universitas Negeri Surabaya (Unesa) is embracing AI as a strategic partner to enhance teaching creativity among lecturers and improve the efficiency of campus management services.
This commitment was realized through the Gemini Academy Fellow program, held at the Rectorate Building of Unesa Campus II Lidah Wetan, Surabaya, from July 27–29, 2026. The face-to-face generative AI training program was attended by 1,522 Unesa lecturers and education staff, in collaboration with Google for Education and REFO Indonesia.
Over three days, participants were trained to utilize Google's AI ecosystem, particularly Gemini and NotebookLM, to accelerate academic research processes and simplify university administration. The program concluded with a competency assessment to ensure participants received internationally recognized certification.
AI as a Tool to Support Innovation and Campus Governance
Unesa Vice Rector II, Bachtiar Syaiful Bachri, emphasized that AI proficiency has become an essential skill for the academic community in responding to the transformation of higher education. However, he highlighted that human reasoning and ethical judgment must remain the foundation.
"AI is developing rapidly, but it will never replace human reasoning and creativity. The key is how we can utilize this technology in an appropriate, creative, and responsible way to support institutional governance and advance knowledge development," he said.
Unesa Director of Human Resources, Mohamad Sulton Arifin, added that the training represents the institution's commitment to standardizing digital capabilities among its employees. Similar programs will be expanded to students in the future to ensure the entire university ecosystem develops equal levels of technological literacy.
Meanwhile, REFO Indonesia Founder and Managing Director Pepita Gunawan explained that Gemini utilization is focused on helping lecturers create more interactive teaching materials and improve the quality of research grant proposals. For education staff, AI-powered systems are expected to streamline campus governance, increase transparency, and strengthen institutional management.
The practical benefits of the training were experienced directly by Kharizha Krishnandya, a Law lecturer at Unesa Campus 5 Magetan. She plans to apply the knowledge gained from the program to develop case-based Semester Learning Plans (RPS) and strengthen the implementation of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) among students.
As part of the program's long-term commitment, the initiative concluded with the signing of a formal cooperation agreement between Unesa and REFO Indonesia to expand technology competency development networks in the future.
Conclusion
Unesa's collaboration with Google for Education and REFO Indonesia demonstrates how AI can become an enabler for higher education transformation. By strengthening AI skills among lecturers and education staff, the university aims to improve academic innovation, digital governance, and prepare its community for a technology-driven future.
Read more: Deputy Minister Stella Christie Emphasized Three Key Roles of Higher Education in the AI Era