UMS Lecturer Wins Best Paper Award at WIEFC 2026

A lecturer at the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FAI), Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), Muhamad Subhi Apriantoro, Lc., M.H., presented his research on public perception of Islamic banking at the international forum World Islamic Economics and Finance Conference (WIEFC) 2026. Through this research, Subhi won the Best Paper award at the conference.

The study, titled “Public Perception of Islamic Banking: A Social Network Analysis,” was co-authored with his student, Eva Triyulianti. The paper was presented in the technical session themed Digitalization, Public Perception, and Equity Market Performance in Islamic Finance and was listed as one of the selected papers in the official conference program book.

In his research, Subhi applied a Social Network Analysis (SNA) approach to map public conversations on social media related to Islamic banking in Indonesia. “This method enables a more structured analysis of account relationships, sentiment, and digital discussion patterns,” Subhi explained in an interview on Monday (February 9, 2026).

The findings indicate that public sentiment toward Islamic banks is dynamic and significantly shaped by trending or current issues. Discussions were dominated by individuals aged 25–34, identified as the most active demographic group. The study also uncovered a gap in understanding between male and female users.

In addition, the research mapped key discussion themes, popular hashtags, and influencers who play a major role in shaping public opinion on Islamic financial services. According to Subhi, the findings are not only descriptive but also diagnostic, as they help identify issues related to financial literacy, trust levels, and the effectiveness of communication strategies employed by Islamic banks in the digital sphere.

“Social media conversation data can serve as an evaluation tool for Islamic banks and regulators in designing more targeted communication strategies,” he stated. Subhi hopes the research will serve as an academic reference for the development of data-driven Islamic banking studies while also expanding the application of SNA methods in Islamic law and economics research.

He also emphasized the importance of collaboration between lecturers and students in research projects. According to him, student involvement in scientific publications strengthens research culture in higher education and enhances human resource quality in the fields of Islamic economics and law.

The WIEFC conference attended by Subhi was held at Minhaj University Lahore, Pakistan, on January 24–25, 2026, and brought together Islamic economics experts from various countries.

Through these findings, Subhi hopes the research will not only remain an academic output but also contribute to improving Islamic financial literacy and strengthening public trust in the Islamic banking system.

Writer: Genis Dwi Gustati

Editor: Maysali Sudarwati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid