Riyadh, 2022 – The Directorate of Research and Community Service of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta conducted a resilience strengthening workshop to build national character as part of an International Collaborative Research project titled Developing Android-based School Resilience: A Comparative Study of High Schools in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia, led by Prof. Dr. Siti Irene Astuti Dwiningrum, M.Si., with team members Prof. Dr. Achmad Dardiri, M.Hum., and Evi Rovikoh Indah Saputri, M.Pd. The activity was held on Friday, November 4, 2022, at Sekolah Indonesia Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with students of Sekolah Indonesia Riyadh (SIR) participating as the primary participants.

In efforts to build strong and adaptive national character, Prof. Dr. Siti Irene Astuti Dwiningrum, M.Si., emphasized the importance of resilience as the ability to adapt and recover from challenges encountered in daily life. Resilience is not only about enduring difficulties but also about the ability to grow and become stronger in response to change.

The workshop strengthened resilience through various approaches, including personal development, enhancement of social skills, and the application of national values in everyday life. Through this program, students were equipped with the skills and values needed to address global challenges while maintaining their Indonesian national identity, using the “River of Life” method. This method enabled students to reflect on their experiences, recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and identify strategies to navigate change effectively.