The biannual general lecture for the 2020/2021 academic year took place on October 14, 2020, at 10:00 AM local time. The event began with an opening by the MC, Arini Mayangyang, followed by a recitation of the Holy Quran by Daffa. Najda Rifqiyati, M.Si., the head of the Biology program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, delivered a welcoming address. The general lecture spanned two hours.

In Session 1, Dr. Riza Arief Putranto discussed the development of COVID-19, the role of molecular genetic analysis during the pandemic, and the contribution of young biologists to this era. The session lasted for 40 minutes. Session 2 featured Acep Riza Wijayadikusumah, PhD, who explained Indonesia’s progress in COVID-19 vaccine research. His presentation also lasted 40 minutes.

Following the presentations, there was an interactive discussion and Q&A session with participants. The discussion flowed smoothly for over 25 minutes, with questions from both students and faculty members. Due to the large number of inquiries (more than 10), the organizers summarized the questions. The general lecture was moderated by Imalatun Niq’mah, an alumnus of the Biology program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga. Attendees included active Biology students from UIN Sunan Kalijaga, faculty members, and students from other institutions such as UGM.