Pekanbaru, August 21, 2025 – The Master’s Program in Communication Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Riau, hosted a Curriculum and Big Data Workshop aimed at strengthening research capacity in the digital era.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from Dr. Welly Wirman, M.Si., Coordinator of the Master’s Program in Communication Science, and was officially inaugurated by Dr. Mayarni, S.Sos., M.Si., Vice Dean for General Affairs and Finance. “Through this workshop, we hope our lecturers will be better prepared to address research challenges in the digital era,” Dr. Mayarni emphasized.
Invited speaker Dr. Catur Surotnoaji, M.Si., Dean of FISIP Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran East Java, introduced participants to leading data analysis tools such as NodeXL, Nolimit, and Brand24, highlighting how these platforms can be leveraged to conduct comprehensive social media research.
Throughout the sessions, participants explored a range of analytical approaches including sentiment and text analysis, content mapping, audience reach, and network analysis (cluster, betweenness, density, and degree). Dr. Catur also underlined the defining features of big data—its vast volume, diverse formats (text, video, and image), rapid velocity, and multiple digital sources ranging from social media to e-commerce and GPS.
The workshop was met with strong enthusiasm from lecturers of the Communication Science Department, who actively engaged in both presentations and discussions. By integrating big data into their research and teaching, the program expects to advance more relevant and impactful studies, ensuring that the curriculum keeps pace with today’s evolving communication landscape.
