UM Pontianak, through the International Affairs Office (KUI), held a webinar themed “Study Program-Based Internationalization and Independent Campus Policy” through Zoom Meeting attended by 229 participants from various Higher Education Institutions in Indonesia (17/03). The webinar invited two resource persons, Firman Hidayat as Sub-Coordinator of Collaboration from Directorate-General of Higher Education Kemdikbud and Yordan Gunawan as the Chairman of International Affairs Office Association of Muhammadiyah – ’Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs). It was presided by the Head of KUI, Ulfi Ruhama as moderator.
In his remarks, Eko Dewantoro, the Vice-Rector of Academics, expected all UM Pontianak academic civitas could synergize to conduct study program-based internationalization. It was included in the vision and mission of University leaders to develop UM Pontianak as an excellent campus and could compete at both national and international levels. On behalf of the institution, he was proud of the International collaboration by KUI. “In the near future, it will improve by the active contribution of study programs and faculties to implement the study program-based internationalization,” he said.
Moreover, Firman Hidayat explained the importance of Internationalization based on study programs was related to the Minister of Education and Culture policy. It was portrayed by the opportunities given to the students in 3 semesters to experience learning in the outside study program. “For 3 semesters, the independent campus program provides the student the freedom to learn the outside study program, or the outside faculty, even the outside university. It is in line with the purpose to develop creativity and competitiveness in rapid development of the times,” he said. Firman highlighted eight forms of agenda that could be conducted in the international collaboration and suitable with independent campus policy. It consists of the student exchange, internship, teaching assistant in education units, research involvement, humanitarian project, entrepreneurship agenda, independent project, and thematic community service programs. In his opinion, the independent campus policy could be synchronized to the innovation and creativity demands that the students should master to compete in the development of the times.
In his presentation, Yordan Gunawan, Chairman of the International Affairs Office Association (ASKUI), explained the importance of the development roadmap from the Internationalization program of Higher Education Institutions. The study-program based Internalization could be begun with the invitation to the foreign lecturers for conducting visiting professors. It could be an alternative if the institutions lacked the competent human resources to hold student exchange programs. To achieve international collaboration, he continued that the institution should undergo several stages, including the collaboration initiative, prospective partner introduction, substantial discussion, collaboration draft arrangement, partnership communication, and the signing of MoU and MoA. “Undoubtedly, the process should be continued by the collaborative implementation and monitor evaluation progress. If there was a difficult component in implementation such as joint research, it can be started with the program which suitable for the institution’s competence,”
Both speakers admitted that higher education institutions should consider mastering the international language, especially English, to improve the international collaboration quality. This English mastery requirement can be started from the English competency improvement program for lecturers, staff, and students. Moreover, it should have support from the institution leaders, a significant academic environment improvement, international publication from the lecturers, and broader global networking.
