Aceh Besar, October 25, 2025 — The Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) of Universitas Syiah Kuala, in collaboration with the Museum Seulawah and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) Aceh Besar, held a “Workshop on the Use of Virtual Reality (VR) for Sustainable Environment and Volcanic Disaster Preparedness of Mount Seulawah” in Gampong Lamtamot, Seulimum District. The activity is part of the In-Saintek Program, which aims to enhance students’ understanding of science and disaster awareness through innovative and engaging learning methods. The workshop was part of the IN-SAINTEK Program initiated by the Directorate of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), aiming to disseminate science and technology to the wider community, particularly children living in disaster-prone areas.
The event took place at MIN 2 Aceh Besar in Gampong Lamtamot, Lembah Seulawah Subdistrict, and involved participants from four schools: MIN 2 Aceh Besar, MIN 44 Aceh Besar, SD Lamtamot, SDN Lambaro Tunong and MIN 12 Aceh Besar. A total of 31 students and several accompanying teachers actively participated in the workshop. The event was also attended by representatives from the Aceh Besar Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the village chief (Keuchik) of Lamtamot, school committees, and Finn Alessandro Lindstedt, a PhD student from Lund University, Sweden, as part of a national and international collaboration in disaster education.
H. Saifuddin, S.E
The event was officially opened by H. Saifuddin, S.E., Head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Aceh Besar, and Prof. Syamsidik, S.T., M.Sc., Director of TDMRC Universitas Syiah Kuala. In his opening remarks, Mr. Saifuddin expressed his appreciation for TDMRC’s innovative approach to introducing disaster preparedness to elementary school students. “Activities like this are very important in building early awareness about the potential risks around us. With VR technology, children can learn about disaster preparedness in an enjoyable way, helping them develop awareness and resilience from a young age,” he said.
Prof. Syamsidik, S.T., M.Sc
Prof. Syamsidik also highlighted the importance of integrating science and technology into disaster education. “This initiative demonstrates TDMRC’s commitment to innovation in disaster education. Through experiential learning using Virtual Reality, students not only understand disaster risks better but also develop a sense of responsibility toward protecting the environment,” he explained.
The students and teachers are taking a group photo with Finn Alessandro Lindstedt, a PhD student from Lund University
Following the opening ceremony, students participated in a series of interactive and educational activities, including the “Seulawah Saweu Gampong” VR Exhibition featuring posters and photographs of Mount Seulawah; an interactive storytelling session titled “Five Signs That Mount Seulawah is a Volcano” led by university students; and a VR Museum Exploration with 360° video experiences. Students also took part in the Ranking 1 Quiz Competition on Mount Seulawah, a creative VR cardboard decorating activity promoting disaster awareness slogans, and pre- and post-tests to evaluate knowledge gained from the workshop.
The workshop featured several facilitators and speakers, including Dr. Syahrul Ridha (event coordinator), Zahrina Fakhrana, S.T., M.Sc. (VR technology facilitator), Ir. Myna Agustina, S.T., M.Sc. (educational games presenter), and Dr. Puspita Annaba Kamil (student understanding evaluator). Meanwhile, Indra Syahputra from the Seulawah Volcano Observation Post (PVMBG) shared insights about volcano monitoring and early warning systems. The event was also supported by Dr. Sylvia Agustina, the 2025 IN-SAINTEK Program Coordinator, and volunteers from the Museum Seulawah team of USK’s Urban and Regional Planning Department.
Students are participating in the workshop activities: coloring, trying out the VR glasses, and taking group photos.
A highlight of the event was the Ranking 1 competition, where three students were selected as winners to participate in an educational visit to TDMRC USK on November 4, 2025, coinciding with Tsunami Awareness Day and Disaster Science Camp. The winners were Bilqis Syafara (MIN 2 Aceh Besar), Fizo Attahkya Khalid (MIN 2 Aceh Besar), and Mazaya Shalia (MIN 12 Aceh Besar). During the visit, they will have the opportunity to join laboratory tours, storytelling sessions, VR exploration using Oculus, and educational podcast creation with TDMRC researchers.
Dr. Syahrul Ridha
According to Dr. Syahrul Ridha, the event coordinator, understanding disaster risks should be instilled from an early age to build resilient communities. “Cross-sector collaboration is key to strengthening community preparedness. By combining education and technology, children can learn about disasters while also developing environmental awareness and responsibility,” he stated.
The students are receiving basic material about Mount Seulawah from a representative of the Aceh Besar Disaster Management Agency (BPBD)
Mount Seulawah Agam, one of Aceh’s active volcanoes, holds significant ecological, economic, and cultural value but also poses potential hazards to nearby communities. Standing approximately 1,810 meters above sea level, it is one of four active volcanoes in Aceh. Although currently classified as “Normal (Level I)”, it remains important for nearby communities to stay alert to potential volcanic activity. Through this workshop, TDMRC seeks to promote disaster literacy and preparedness using immersive technology as an effective and engaging learning medium.
Teachers accompanying the students noted that the use of VR and visual materials made disaster education easier to understand and remember. Students were highly enthusiastic throughout the activities, though facilitators also noted that more time would allow for deeper understanding and reflection.
TDMRC USK and the Seulawah Museum plan to expand similar workshops to other schools surrounding Mount Seulawah and develop community-based VR disaster education modules that can be replicated independently by teachers in other disaster-prone areas across Indonesia. TDMRC has also prepared VR learning kits and distributed them to participating schools. The IN-SAINTEK 2025 Program will continue with upcoming activities, including the Tsunami Water Tower Socialization (October 21, 2025), SupeRISKa and Building Database Workshop (October 30, 2025), and the Disaster Science Camp focusing on Geo-Hazard topics for high school and Islamic boarding school students across Aceh (November 4–6, 2025).
The students are enthusiastically participating in the Ranking 1 quiz competition
The winners of the Ranking 1 competition will join the upcoming TDMRC tour during the Disaster Science Camp event
The students are answering the pre-test questions
