Interview
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI
Head of APTISI (Indonesian Higher Education Association)
PROBLEMATIK QUALITY EDUCATION, ACCREDITATION,
AND PROBLEMS
Strong commitment and consistency in transforming higher education is a necessity in responding to Industry 4.0. In this regard, building strong human resources through increasing knowledge, skills and character is very important so that their competencies remain relevant and agile in facing the challenges of the VUCA era (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity). VUCA is a picture of the current global situation, which is triggered by the rapid advances in information technology.
The transformation of higher education must of course be tied to the quality of education. Moreover, the education system emphasizes the school system as mandated by law. RI Law No. 20 of 2003 concerning the National Education System (Sisdiknas), articles 1 (1 and 4) emphasize that “Education is a conscious and planned effort to create a learning atmosphere and learning process so that students actively develop their potential to have religious spiritual strength, self-control, personality, intelligence, noble character, and skills needed by himself, society, nation and state.
Therefore, the quality of education is a prerequisite for the school system. We consider the notion of quality is an absolute and relative concept. Absolute quality is high idealism and must be met, of high standards, with high prestigious product characteristics. Relative quality is not an end, but as a tool that has been established or a service is assessed, namely whether it has met the standards set by Sallis (2003). Meanwhile, quality education (Hari Sudrajad, 2005) is education that is able to produce graduates who have the ability or competence, both academic competence and vocational competence, which are based on personal and social competencies, as well as noble moral values, all of which are life skills. life skills). Sudrajad further stated that quality education is education that is able to produce complete human beings (complete human beings) or humans with an integral personality, namely those who are able to integrate faith, knowledge, and charity.
In this regard, Komunita magazine met with the Head of the Central APTISI – Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Sc., MEI to understand quality higher education and tertiary institutions, which are now symbolized by the terms Excellent, Excellent and Good. In the midst of his busy schedule, we contacted him via WA and immediately received confirmation of an online meeting on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, the day after we communicated. We did the online meeting because he was currently active in Bali.
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Sc., MEI is a person who has been involved for 30 years in private higher education organizations (APTISI), as Central Secretary, Deputy APTISI Center and now Chairman of APTISI Center who really understands the problems of higher education held by private universities (PTS). Here’s our conversation.
Komunita: Many organizers/foundations and private universities hold higher education but many have problems in managing it?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: There are 3 (three) major problems in the organization and management of PT that usually occur, namely: first, the relationship between the Foundation and the Rector which sometimes causes friction; second, the Rector with the Academic Community; third, Foundation by Foundation. I handled various universities (PT) in Indonesia from 2014 to 2015 there were 234 problematic PTs. The problem between foundations and foundations is that the rules of the game are in the Foundation’s Articles of Association and Bylaws (ADRT). Most of the time when establishing the ADRT foundation, it is usually left to a notary so that there are no details. Especially in the Bylaws there are rights and obligations that are not detailed, so that later when there is “abundance of money, there will be friction between members with one another”. Problems between the foundation and the rector (Rector/Director) where when the Statutes were made they did not sit together. The Statute states the harmonious relationship between the foundation and the rectorate, as well as the relationship between lecturers and employees.
In 2020 the Ministry will revamp the Statute of APTISI’s proposal, and it must be uploaded so that the parties, the Ministry, APTISI know the rules of the game. So basically the problems in PT are caused by unclear rules of the game and sometimes each other does not obey these rules. And this of course interferes with the achievement and consistency of higher education quality.
Komunita: What is the nature of providing quality higher education for the Organizing Body and PT?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: In Indonesia, quality higher education refers to the Ministry of Education and Culture, in this case DIKTI. The implementation of quality higher education if it meets the requirements of the National standard of PT. If in this case the requirements begin with planning, what we call PPEPP is the determination, implementation, evaluation, control and improvement of National Standards. Where in the national standard PT is included in the Quality Assurance System (SPM). So the PT is obliged to make the PT SPM which is measured on the basis of graded qualities according to the BAN-PT measurements. There is an SPMI that is made internally by the PT so that the PT is called quality. Then externally/publicly represented by BAN-PT and the PT Accreditation Institute they gave ratings, formerly with grades of A, B and C, and now Good, Very Good and Excellent.
Higher Education (PT) referred to by BAN-PT is Quality, if the Tridharma PT value is in accordance with the Minimum Standards in the SNPT (National Standards).
Characteristics of Education Quality
Sumber: Usman, Husaini, dkk. 2004. Metodologi Penelitian Sosisal.Prenada Media, Jakarta.
If it exceeds then it is called Excellent, if it is Very Exceed it is called Excellent. That is the essence of the implementation of the DIKTI version of Quality Education. There are also other versions, for example the WEBOMETRICS version is the extent to which a PT is famous on the Website, the measure is the number of PTs visited and referenced by the wider community. There is also quality that is measured now through the Merdeka Learning Campus Merdeka (MBKM) by DIKTI. Namely measuring the quality of PT from the extent to which PT implements the Merdeka Merdeka Learning Campus curriculum. The extent to which universities implement MBKM, the extent to which the curriculum is used, the extent to which universities conduct student exchanges between universities at home and abroad, the extent to which lecturers are able to contribute to the world of business and business. Well it’s all measured according to DIKTI.
There is also according to World Class University (WCU). The extent to which PTs have International Class, how many PT graduates work in multinational companies that are included in the world’s 500 best companies, then the speed at which PTs graduate students with high absorption. So the quality assessment depends on the size on which we (PT) stand. There is another one that is rarely disclosed, namely according to religion. The essence of a quality university is of course the output of students being able to carry out what God has commanded, capable of having good morals. The outcome is a person who worships does not commit heinous and evil deeds. So in other words, there are various measures of quality depending on which quality you want to rely on in the organizing body and in which PT.
Komunita: How the Superior accreditation reflects a quality PT related to Law no. 12 and the Constitution, because the quality problems of PT have not been resolved until now?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: If we refer to Law no. 12 of 2012 concerning higher education which is called quality, of course, follows the SNPT because the law does not talk about the Merdeka Merdeka Campus for Learning, it does not reflect about us being at WEBOMETRICS, how to work in international companies, so what is called quality according to Law 12 of 2012 is quality. as measured by SNPT based on BAN-PT, the difference is there. Due to the intelligence measure of Law no. 12 of 2012 which means that they are students who have Competence, so the size is Competence. But if you measure the 1945 Constitution, what is called Smart is not enough Competence, but he has God and has character. So it’s different, even though it should refer to the 1945 Constitution. If it refers to the 1945 Constitution, its morality is also measured.
Komunita: APTISI has a vision to improve the management of PT which ends in producing human resources who master their fields of knowledge, in order to educate the life of the nation. To what extent is APTISI’s vision gradual and measurable, then monitored in order to achieve it?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: APTISI is an association of PTS leaders, of course we hope to synergize with the government, because the main goal of establishing this organization is to achieve certain goals, in accordance with its vision of how to improve the management, guidance and development of private universities, especially in Indonesia whose orientation is how we help the government to educate the nation’s life. So APTISI has a work pattern or PT Management Strategy which is translated into a 4-year Work Program which is evaluated every year the work program. The main indicators are in accordance with the government’s indicators where it is going. Work Program and Performance Indicators according to the mandate of the APTISI National Conference. At the National Conference there are performance indicators that are measured according to the wishes of the PT community, then performance is measured because the government wants to which direction. That’s what we did so that it became an annual work program, then a semi-annual work program and sent to areas that would later provide assistance to PTs in accordance with the capabilities of each PT.
Komunita: Indonesia is faced with global issues that pose challenges, namely: climate change and health, energy security, CO2/carbon emissions, urban poverty, National Competitiveness. To what extent does APTISI encourage PTS as education managers to respond to this?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: APTISI has several associations under it which are related to programs in accordance with the uniqueness of PT. If a PT opens a Health Study Program, then we group the Association of PT in the Health sector; if it is a technique, then there is a technical association and so on. We conduct coordination where each PT has extra internal and external capabilities where each activity is related to the needs of the Community, the needs of the PT and science. So in Tri Dharma PT, we call it Community Service. That is our effort to answer challenges in accordance with the condition of the capabilities possessed by the study program. For example, the Health Study Program, yesterday we held training and concrete handling, namely going to the field to detect villages, sub-districts that have stunting problems (slow growth in humans/malnutrition) then the problem is raised nationally. We collaborated with the Ministry of Health and mapped out which areas should be assisted. That is one of the Health Study Programs.
We together with the computer sector, mapped urban problems in Indonesia that have not used digitalization technology systems in urban areas, we approach smart cities. So PT in the field of Computers which is under APTISI helps the community by students and lecturers in the IT field to make the software needed in a concrete way. We also work closely with local governments, and also with PT in the field of Social Sciences to map out social problems of the people in urban and rural areas and aggregate them according to their fields, because APTISI according to the Minister’s language is the largest association. Namely a collection of PT and Foundation leaders, such as ABP-PTSI, APERTI we embrace, as well as the Vocational Association and the Association of PT Health and also the Association of PT Computers. Because it is a supportive subordinate and we need their input. For example, some time ago I was invited by the Minister of Finance together with APERTI and ABP-PTSI to talk about taxes. How the tax should be addressed by PT.? So we can concretely provide issues and of course because we don’t have a budget, we must provide inputs.
Komunita: How to consistently build collaboration between PT, in addition to Holistic collaboration, with other sectors. The business and industrial sectors still complain about the quality of graduates from PT?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: That is the most crucial and difficult, but from the other side we have worked hard to do that, but the government is still slow. Back in 1995 there was something called the BAN-PT Form. One of the delays was that if 95% of PTs followed the national curriculum, the score would be very good, if 5% of the curriculum was mixed, it would be very good. Now it’s reversed, the more it follows the national curriculum, the more it decreases. Namely, 40% of the curriculum nationally must be the same, and 60% must formulate a curriculum related to how universities and study programs manage themselves according to the ingredients/objectives they graduate, and in accordance with the desired outcome, so that a link and match is expected to occur.
If ITB graduates are imitated by all universities in Indonesia, it is wrong because it is not in accordance with the ingredients of other universities, the raw materials are very different. But what happened we followed. So we urge the government not to regulated many universities, but only to give a few rules and to be given the freedom so that universities can formulate curriculum, so that cooperation between universities, institutions and industries can be established. Finally, the Merdeka Campus – Merdeka Learning policy was born, they were in accordance with the Merdeka Campus – Merdeka learning policy. If I experienced it in West Java, we created a campus within the industry so that we could directly link and match and directly work and practice in the field.
Komunita: In Indonesia there are approximately 4,000 PTs, West Java 482 PTs, about 80% of which need encouragement. Especially the obstacles related to the industrial world, where the industry is very diverse and the demands are more so that PT graduates must be ready to use. How to mediate this?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: The problem is that Indonesian culture likes to be called their title, they are very obsessed with their title. Whereas in developed countries it is no longer a measure, and there are fundamental differences in education. Education is divided into two, namely: academic and vocational or often called vocational education and polytechnic. In general, education abroad is divided into two and the people tend to go straight to work (vocational education). While academic education is a university that develops knowledge. Abroad it’s the opposite with Indonesia, for example in Germany 30% is academic education, while 70% of vocational education so graduates go straight to work. The 30% of the academic education that we call S1, they develop to S2 and S3 to develop knowledge and are not ready to work immediately.
Higher education in Indonesia in 2017 was around 5.6% Vocational and the remaining 94.4% Academic. But now Vocational has increased by 7%, and academics is 93%. In fact, the business world and industry require approximately 60% of vocational training. To produce academic graduates with thoughts when they enter the world of work directly holding Top Managerial as thinkers. But D3 and D4 graduates while working directly practice. That is our problem in Indonesia.
The way the government in this case is DIKTI is seeking more Vocational education. For example, SMA in Indonesia is 73%, the SMK is 17%, but now it’s reversed because we need them to go straight to work, don’t have to go to college, or continue studying in vocational schools. SMA has shifted to the Vocational level, but at PT it is still 7% vocational and 93% academic. So it is natural that graduates cannot go straight to work, but they are prepared to be ready to train, not to be ready to work.
Komunita: In Indonesia’s 100th year (2045), what is the direction to encourage the intellectual life of the nation and welfare through education?
Prof. Dr. Ir. H.M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI: We will welcome 100 years of Indonesia in 2045. But our main problem is the campus 100 years ago and the current campus with the same method and pattern. Even though in the era of the industrial revolution 4.0, we are faced with the millennial generation and generation Z who were born in 95 to now. Generation Z in the 2000s and those born in 2010 are the Alpha generation, they are called digital natives. However, campuses are slow to improve it all where the campus curriculum must change to digital. So if we want to educate the nation’s life in the future, where this nation is filled with millennial generations of around 60%, and then it shifts to Generation Z and soon to Generation Alpha. These generations have different sophistication. Generation Z and Alpha children work unlike their predecessors, the Baby Boomer generation. Their generation is a generation that has a higher level of intelligence and knowledge, because the way they work and the way they take knowledge is different from ours. They’ve picked up quickly via Google Search Engine. Therefore, the role of the lecturer is only to be a coach. In the 80’s era, lecturers were a source of knowledge who gave directions and the books they wrote. Now for the current generation it is very sophisticated and human resources are measured by the ability to manage effective human resources through digitalization either on campus or in the community.
My message is that we have entered the Digital Age and have shifted to Blockchain. Last night I attended a seminar with 1,200 participants from all over Indonesia and told me about “What will the future capability of the industrial world be like”. I told him that soon Indonesia would enter the so-called Blockchain. Bank finance will disappear quickly because there is Bitcoin, Crypto Currency, etc. Universities (PT) that do not study digitization will disappear, and there will be a Cloud-based PT. (lili_irahali – March 7, 2022)
(Rewrite & Interview: Lili Irahali – Audio to transcript: Yanda Ramadana)
