In today’s digital era, news serves not only as a source of information but also as a strategic tool for building and enhancing a university's reputation. Through quality news writing, an educational institution can showcase its various achievements, innovations, and activities, thereby attracting public attention and improving its image.
The Faculty of Dentistry at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM) conducted a news writing training session for educational staff and lecturers on September 5, 2024. This event aimed to improve news writing skills, which could enhance the image of FKG UGM.
The training featured two experienced speakers: drg. Ahmad Syaifi, Sp.Perio(K), a lecturer at FKG UGM and a senior journalist, and Ir. Sentagi Sesotya Utami, Coordinator of the SDGs at UGM.
In the first session, Drg. Ahmad Syaifi presented on "Tips for Writing Concise and Engaging Articles." He shared various tricks and techniques for writing news that captures readers' attention, especially those who may easily lose interest. “News writing should use straightforward sentences; avoid complicated terminology so that readers can easily understand what we write,” Syaifi stated. He emphasized that since the news will eventually be published on the website and viewed by many, it is crucial to keep the writing accessible so readers do not find it too complex and decide to disengage.
In the next session, Ir. Sentagi Sesotya Utami discussed Strategies for Accelerating News Coverage. In her presentation, she noted that to speed up the news writing process, participants could utilize UGM AI as an assistive tool. However, Sentagi stressed the importance of conducting manual edits and adding a human touch to the writing for optimal results. “AI technology can certainly help, but good writing still needs to go through a manual editing process,” she explained.
With this training, it is hoped that educational staff and lecturers at FKG UGM will become more skilled in writing effective, concise, and engaging news articles, as well as speeding up the reporting process for institutional needs. This supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG goal 4, Quality Education.
Author: Rizky
