FT Unismuh Explores the Role of AI in Higher Education: Between Disruption and Collaboration Opportunities

TEKNIK.UNISMUH.AC.ID, MAKASSAR — Significant shifts are occurring in higher education as the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) expands. In the 26th guest lecture series of the Faculty of Engineering at Unismuh, held on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Professor Muhammad Roil Bilad, Ph.D., from the University of Brunei Darussalam, presented how AI is a catalyst for change in higher education systems, including in the context of Islamic values and the social challenges that accompany them.

The event, held in the I Gift Auditorium, Iqra Unismuh Makassar, carried the theme "Transformation of Higher Education through Artificial Intelligence." The event provided a deep reflection on the opportunities and challenges facing higher education in embracing the digital disruption era driven by AI.

In his presentation, Roil Bilad emphasized that AI is not just a technological trend, but has become the backbone in shaping more personalized, adaptive, and data-driven learning.

"AI enables learning to happen anytime and anywhere, adapting to the needs and pace of each individual," he said.

However, he noted that the integration of AI in education cannot be done blindly. "There needs to be a balance between technological innovation and the spiritual values inherent in our education system, especially in the context of Islamic education," said the academic, who has written more than 329 indexed Scopus articles, collected more than 8,000 citations with an H-index of 49.

Roil, who is widely known in the academic community of Southeast Asia, also highlighted the threats posed by AI to certain types of jobs in the education sector, ranging from administrative tasks, translation, to the production of educational content.

However, he emphasized that AI should be seen as an assistant, not a replacement for human roles. "Creativity, empathy, and the cultivation of values remain in the domain that cannot be replaced by machines," he stated.

He also touched on the importance of equipping educators and students with 21st-century skills, such as digital literacy, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and creativity. Institutionally, this transformation requires investment in digital infrastructure, development of human resources, as well as collaboration across sectors, including with the technology industry.

The event concluded with a presentation of gifts from the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Unismuh, Ir Syafaat S Kuba, ST MT, to the speaker. This guest lecture is part of the Faculty of Engineering at Unismuh Makassar's efforts to create a dialogue about the future of higher education that is not only adaptive to technological developments, but also steadfast in upholding noble values and humanism.