Yogyakarta, July 9^th, 2024 – The Faculty of Science and Technology at UIN Sunan Kalijaga is organizing its third Summer Course with the theme "Globalization of the Halal Industry Towards SDGs." The event will take place over 14 days from July 9 to July 23, 2024, in a hybrid format. It was attended by 31 participants from various countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Yemen, and Nigeria.

The Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. Dra. Hj. Khurul Wardati, M.Si, gave a speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Course, which was held online. She stated that the event provides an opportunity to explore several global issues of the halal industry.

"I believe today and the upcoming days during this course will be fun and full of learning," said Prof. Dr. Dra. Hj. Khurul Wardati, M.Si, closing the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Course.

The first course, led by Prof. Satomi Ohgata from Kyushu International University, Japan, was about "Acculturation of Halal Product: Lesson Learned from Japan" and moderated by Dr. rer. medic Esti Wahyu Widowati, M.Si., M.Biotech. Prof. Satomi Ohgata explained Japanese Food Culture, Consideration of Social Conditions in Muslim Minority Countries, and The Problem of Strict Halal Standards.

"When considering the cultural application of Halal products, it is necessary to take into account the current situation in Muslim minority countries and create standards appropriate for the global era. For this purpose, it is necessary to establish a forum where not only OIC countries but also Muslims living in Muslim-minority countries can participate in discussions. A more democratic platform for discussing Halal standards is urgently needed," explained Prof. Satomi Ohgata.

"In Japan, halal certification is a decentralized system, held by a private organization, unlike Indonesia. We have to admit that there are many obstacles, but we always try to achieve standardization and ensure that this standardization runs smoothly in our community," summarized Dr. rer. medic Esti Wahyu Widowati, M.Si., M.Biotech.

In addition to the main event, there was an introductory session that included an icebreaking activity where each participant shared an interesting fun fact about themselves, along with breakout room exercises aimed at fostering collaboration among participants.