Adapted from sintesa.id, an academic is required to conduct research and disseminate the results to the scholarly community, while at the same time demonstrating the contribution of the research to the body of knowledge within the relevant field.

There are several ways to disseminate research findings. The most common approach is publishing in academic journals. Another widely used approach is presenting papers at academic conferences. Unfortunately, conferences are often perceived merely as an alternative publication outlet, without fully recognizing their broader value. Below are several benefits of attending academic conferences.

1. A form of publication

Clearly, one of the main benefits of attending academic conferences is the opportunity to publish scholarly work within the academic community. Some conferences offer the publication of proceedings, which in academia are considered equivalent in value to journal publications. Other conferences do not publish proceedings, but instead offer collective publication in journals through Special Issues. Conference organizers or session chairs may propose a Special Issue to a journal, with the manuscript review process managed by the proposers as Guest Editors.

1. Informing the academic community about ongoing research

When an article is published in an academic journal, it competes with thousands or even millions of other articles to gain recognition and readership. Academic conferences serve as an effective platform to promote scholarly work, as well as to establish the researcher’s identity as an expert in a particular field. By creating a strong impression at a conference, other academics can associate specific topics or arguments with the researcher, thereby increasing the potential for citations.

1. Receiving criticism and feedback on presented work

Many academics bring draft manuscripts to conferences to obtain feedback from peers and fellow scholars. In some cases, the presented papers are still incomplete, and presenters may invite honest opinions regarding the future direction of their research. There are even instances where conference presentations lead to co-authorship of more refined papers as a result of shared input and collaborative writing with other academics encountered at the conference.

1. Obtaining updates on the state of the art in a specific research field

A key aspect of scholarly publication is demonstrating how research contributes to current academic discourse. Identifying relevant and novel work through journals alone can be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. Academic conferences provide direct access to the latest developments in a particular field, allowing researchers to engage directly with presenters and assess the relevance of their own research. It is not uncommon for academics to return from conferences with new and valuable reading materials.

1. Building research networks for future collaboration

Lastly, conferences should be viewed as an important avenue for building research networks at the international level. This aspect is often overlooked, especially by early-career academics. Many tend to interact only with familiar colleagues or focus solely on presenting their own work, without engaging with others’ research or forming new connections. In fact, smaller conferences—particularly those with closely knit academic communities—can provide ideal environments for building meaningful academic relationships and long-term collaborations.

Students of the Master’s Program in Islamic Economics (MES) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga are educated to become academics in the field of Islamic economics. Therefore, MES students are encouraged and motivated to actively participate in academic events both on and off campus, including academic conferences. One MES student who has been actively involved in various academic conferences is Imas Hasanah, S.E., a second-semester student in the MES Program. Her active participation in academic conferences is evidenced by various certificates she has received.

Her academic journey began with receiving the Best Paper Award at the Al-Ghozali International Conference on Islam and Science, organized by PP Al-Ghozali on July 4–5, 2024. She then participated in the Annual International Summit on Development and Economics Empowerment (AISDEE) 2024, organized by UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya on September 11–12, 2024. Subsequently, on September 18, 2024, she took part in the 5th Annual International Conference on Islamic Economics and Business at UIN Salatiga, and concluded her participation by attending the 9th Gadjah Mada International Conference on Islamic Economics and Business on September 28, 2024.

It is hoped that Imas’s academic path will inspire other MES students to actively engage in similar scholarly activities. Moreover, FEBI UIN Sunan Kalijaga provides support for student participation in academic conferences through delegation funding facilitated by the Vice Dean II. Continued enthusiasm and success are extended to all MES students.