Jakarta, Kompas.id – Dr. Lina Miftahul Jannah, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, emphasized to 4,670 new students at the National Development University "Veteran" Jakarta (UPNVJ) the importance of ethical thinking as a key competency in the digital era. In the 2025 Learning, Ethics, Collaboration, and Creativity Stimulation Program (PROSPEKTIV), she explained the urgency of ethics in facing technological challenges such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence on Saturday (10/25/2025).
Lina explained that ethical thinking isn't just about distinguishing right from wrong, but also about considering moral values, justice, and responsibility in every decision. "Digitalization opens up opportunities, but it also creates moral dilemmas. Ethics is a guide to life amidst the complexities of the 5.0 era," she said.
He outlined four foundations of ethical thinking: moral values (honesty and integrity), rationality (moral logic), self-awareness and moral responsibility, and social and humanitarian values. For academics, ethics is crucial for avoiding plagiarism, data manipulation, and the spread of hoaxes on social media.
In this extraordinary activity, Dr. Lina also introduced seven dimensions of ethical thinking: moral awareness, moral reasoning, moral motivation, moral courage, empathy and ethical sensitivity, ethical reflection, and integrity. "Students must maintain consistency between values and actions, even when facing social pressure," she emphasized.
He believes that campuses are ideal places to cultivate ethical thinking skills because students are already at a mature stage in their thinking and actions. "Academic freedom must be balanced with moral responsibility. It's okay to be wrong, but don't lie," he said. Ethics also form the foundation of professional character amidst global disruption.
In closing, Lina advised students to use ethics as a compass in their lives. "Ethics is a moral force that guides you to become individuals with integrity in an ever-changing world," she said. This session reinforced UPNVJ's commitment to producing students with character aligned with the values of National Defense.