Mojokerto, ITS News — The Statistics Department of the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) introduced the application of statistics and data science to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) through an industrial visit on Wednesday (May 6). This collaboration is one of ITS’s strategic steps to strengthen academic cooperation, research, and cultural exchange between the two institutions.
Head of the ITS Statistics Department, Prof. Dr. rer.pol. Dedy Dwi Prastyo, SSi, MSi, explained that this activity is part of the ITS Global Community Outreach (GCO) and UTM Global Outreach Program (GOP). Attended by 18 students from the Statistics and Data Science Undergraduate Program, Dedy emphasized that the program is a form of support for ITS’s World Class University mission.
The program, funded by the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP) through the Enhancing Quality Education for International University Impacts and Recognition (EQUITY) program, invites students to explore the application of statistics in various sectors. The program included visits to Mojopahit Chocolate in Mojokerto and the PT Jawa Pos Media Televisi (JTV) office in Surabaya.
Dedy explained that Mojopahit Chocolate was chosen to represent the manufacturing industry and provide education on cocoa processing. Meanwhile, the visit to JTV aimed to introduce the use of statistics in the media and broadcasting sector. “We want to demonstrate that the knowledge learned in the ITS Statistics and Data Science Department has broad applications across various sectors,” added the 2002 alumnus of the ITS Statistics and Data Science Department.
Continuing Dedy’s explanation, ITS GCO Coordinator Dr. Achmad Choiruddin SSi MSc explained that the application of statistics in the manufacturing sector includes product quality control and management. According to him, forecasting is also crucial for supporting sales projections and company production planning. “Through statistics, companies can ensure consistent product quality and minimize errors in the production process,” said the man familiarly known as Didin.
In addition to the manufacturing sector, Didin continued, this program also introduces the implementation of statistics in the mass media sector. Through a visit to JTV, students are invited to see firsthand how the media industry works and understand the relationship between data and public communication. “We want students to understand that the media industry is also closely linked to data processing,” added the lecturer from the ITS Statistics Department.
In line with this, JTV News Director Abdul Rokhim SSi also emphasized the importance of data literacy in the media industry. He believes statistical knowledge plays a crucial role in helping journalists understand the context and factors that shape a phenomenon. He believes that accuracy in reading numbers in data is a mandatory skill for journalists.
This 1994 alumnus of the ITS Statistics Department also explained the role of data science in news production through data analytics and sentiment analysis . Through this knowledge, various unstructured data from digital platforms can be processed into more targeted information to generate insights for the public.
Beyond just industry visits, this program, which supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 4, concerning quality education, also features guest lectures, collaborative research and learning discussions, and sharing sessions between UTM and HIMASTA-ITS students. Additionally, community service activities are held to introduce statistics and data science in an interactive and engaging way.
The agenda that strengthens ITS’ commitment to supporting SDGs point 17 regarding partnerships to achieve the goal involves 20 students and five UTM lecturers. The five lecturers include Dr Nur Syazwin Mansor, Intermediate Prof Dr Norhaiza Ahmad, Intermediate Prof Dr Zaitul Marlizawati Zainuddin, Intermediate Prof Dr Arifah Bahar, and Dr Rahmah Mohd Lokoman.
The success of this collaborative program is also due to the involvement of eight other lecturers from the ITS Statistics Department. These eight lecturers are Dr. Achmad Choiruddin, SSi, MSc, Prof. Dr. rer.pol. Dedy Dwi Prastyo, SSi, MSi, Dr. Wibawati, Shofi Andari, SStat, MSi, PhD, Dr. Irhamah, SSi, MSi, Muhamad Syukron, SStat, MAI, Dea Saraswati Pramaningrum, SStat, MStat, and Rahmatin Nur Amalia, SStat, MSi. (*)
Reporter: Naurah Fitri
Redaktur: Andra Eka Wijayanti
Translator: Devinka Mutianeira