Pekanbaru — The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the Universitas Riau (FISIP UNRI), through its Department of International Relations, held a Final Examination for the Thesis-Free Conversion scheme for students who passed the PKM PIMNAS under the Undergraduate (S-1) International Relations Program, on Tuesday (3/3/2026), at the Postgraduate Studio Room of FISIP Universitas Riau.
Two students participated in the examination: Asma Yunita with her work entitled “Revolutionizing Coconut Coir Waste into Geotextile Embankments: A Study of Coastal Community Resilience in Kampung Baru”, and Ayu Andini with “Implementing 5 SDGs Points through a Local Wisdom-Based Community Resilience Model in Addressing Coastal Abrasion Disasters in the Concong Coastal Area.”
This thesis-free conversion scheme is part of an academic policy that provides room for innovation, allowing students to produce alternative academic outputs without compromising scientific standards and graduate learning outcomes.
The examination, held from 1:00 to 3:00 PM (WIB), featured presentations of research findings, methodologies, field data, and the academic contributions of each project. The discussion was dynamic, with various questions and feedback from the board of examiners aimed at strengthening arguments and sharpening analytical depth.
The examination board consisted of Dr. Umi Oktyari Retnaningsih, MA as Chair; Umunnisa Hidayati, M.InterDevPractice as Secretary; and Dr. Yusnarida Eka Nizmi, S.IP., M.Si and Ahmad Jamaan, S.IP., M.Si as members. The examiners emphasized the importance of methodological consistency, theoretical and empirical relevance, as well as the sustainability of academic outputs within the conversion scheme.
The Dean of FISIP UNRI, Dr. Meyzi Heriyanto, S.Sos., M.Si, stated that the thesis-free conversion represents the institution’s adaptation to the evolving dynamics of higher education policies while strengthening student competencies. “FISIP UNRI supports academic innovation grounded in quality and scientific integrity. Through this scheme, students are encouraged to produce relevant and applicable work that contributes meaningfully to society,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs of FISIP UNRI, Dr. Auradian Marta, S.IP., MA, affirmed that the conversion examination maintains rigorous academic standards. According to him, each converted work must demonstrate analytical depth, scholarly contribution, and measurable outputs. “Conversion does not mean simplification; rather, it is a transformation of the final project format while maintaining substantive quality. This reflects our commitment to enhancing the quality of graduates,” he explained.
Through this examination, the Department of International Relations of FISIP UNRI reaffirms its commitment to delivering an adaptive and innovative learning system that remains oriented toward academic quality and relevance amid the challenges of sustainable development. (Enggy-AM)
