The Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) Nadiem Makarim launched another policy shortly after launching his first episode regarding the erasure of National Tests. The policy, dubbed Kampus Merdeka (Free Campus), is a policy regarding free learning. There are four points in the Merdeka Campus policy, namely the opening of new study programs, an accreditation system of tertiary institutions, legal-based state universities, and the right to study three semesters outside the study program. However, the four policies are still considered Inadequate to be implemented at this time.
The Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) Vice-Rector of Cooperation and International Affairs, Prof. Dr. Achmad Nurmandi, M.Sc stated that opening a new study program in a tertiary institution must be done with careful consideration to make sure the new study program will be of high quality. “For new universities, opening new study programs is a great opportunity to attract new students to enter. But for UMY, which has now become a large private university (PTS), opening a new study program has to involve a lot of consideration regarding its goals and potential for the future. If UMY were to open a new study program, we need to carefully consider these factors so that the program could produce graduates that are in accordance with the needs of the community, as conveyed by Nadiem Makarim. Based on these considerations, UMY plans to open a new study program for Graduate and Postgraduate Civil Engineering and Graduate Agriculture studies,” he stated when interviewed by the UMY Public Relations Team on Monday (27/01) at the UMY Global Youth Campus.
Another factor of the policy which is also considered to be immature is the third point relating to state universities’ legal institutions. Nurmandi emphasized that Nadiem himself does not understand the concept. “This point is too focused on State Universities (PTN). This policy needs to be followed up so Private Universities (PTS) get the same rights,” he said.
The second part of the policy addresses the university accreditation system. Nurmandi said that UMY had no objections if re-accreditation would be held once every 5 years to review the quality of study programs. Higher education will also be facilitated by the implementation of a study program accreditation application method that can be done at any time.
Meanwhile, regarding the fourth point, the right to study three semesters outside the study program, Nurmandi responded positively because UMY had also implemented this program by providing elective courses outside the study program such as internships, social services, and student exchange programs. “UMY also gives its students the freedom to take as many or as little Semester Credit Units (SKS), in accordance with the policies of their respective study programs in order to give their students the freedom to participate in other campus programs. Hopefully while studying at UMY, students gain a new experience by engaging directly in the community and work environment. So when students leave UMY, they will be ready with the real life,” he concluded. (ads)
