Rektor Baru Undip Diharapkan Pertahankan Prestasi

The Jakarta Post, halaman 5

Dekan Universitas Diponegoro (Undip) sekolah ekonomi dan bisnis Mohamad Nasir terpilih sebagai rektor baru untuk periode 2014-2018, menggantikan Prof. Sidharto P. Hadi, dalam pemilihan di kampus di Tembalang, Semarang, Jawa Tengah, hari Senin.

Nasir menang besar, mengalahkan dua orang lain berlomba untuk posisi tersebut – kepala departemen akuntansi Prof. M. Syafruddin dan kepala program Ilmu Lingkungan Doktoral dan Magister Prof. Purwanto.

Pemilihan ini diikuti oleh 126 dari 133 anggota senat, dengan 72 suara dari Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan yang diwakili oleh sekretaris direktorat jendral pendidikan tinggi (Dikti) Patdono Suwignyo. Nasir mendapat 148 suara, Syafruddin 36 suara, dan Purwanto 14 suara.

Patdono mengatakan kementerian senang dengan hubungan solid antar pendidik di universitas dan berharap universitas akan terus berprestasi secara akademis. Undip adalah salah satu universitas negeri terbaik di Indonesia.

Nasir mengatakan ia ingin universitas ini menjadi pemimpin dalam sains dan riset, dan untuk membina siswa menjadi individu yang cerdas dengan berkarakter dan bermoral kuat.

Lahir di Ngawi, Jawa Timur, Nasir 54 tahun adalah seorang santri dan satu-satunya profesor UNDIP yang telah belajar di pesantren.   Ia mengatakan, dosen/ profesor dengan latar belakang santri mestinya umum di IAIN tetapi latar belakang seperti ini jarang di UNDIP.

Dia mengikuti jejak ayahnya mempelajari Islam di pesantren. Setelah lulus SMA ia belajar akuntansi di Undip, dan meraih gelar Master dari Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) dan gelar doktor dari Universiti Sains Malaysia.  Ia telah mengajar di Undip selama 24 tahun, dan seorang ahli di akuntansi perilaku dan manajemen.

New Undip Rector Expected to Maintain Achievement

The Jakarta Post, page 5

Diponegoro University (Undip) school of economic and business dean Mohamad Nasir was elected the university’s new rector for the 2014-2018 period, replacing Prof. Sidharto P. Hadi, during an election at the campus in Tembalang in Semarang, Central Java, on Monday.

Nasir won by a landslide, beating two others vying for the position – accounting department head Prof. M. Syafruddin and Doctoral and Master in Environment Science program head Prof. Purwanto.

The election was participated by 126 of 133 senate members, with 72 votes from the education and Culture Ministry represented by directorate general of higher education (Dikti) secretary Patdono Suwignyo. Nasir secured 148 votes, Syafruddin 36 votes, and Purwanto 14 votes.

Patdono said the ministry was happy with the solid relationship among educators at the university and hoped the university would continue to excel academically. Undip is among the best state universities in Indonesia.

Nasir said he wanted the university to become a leader in science and research, and to nurture students to become intelligent individuals with character and strong morals.

Born in Ngawi, East Java, 54-year-old Nasir is a santri (Islamic school student) and the only Undip professor to have studied at an Islamic boarding school (pesantren). He said, professors with a santri background must be common at the State Academy of Islamic Studies (IAIN) but such a background is rare at Undip.

He followed his father’s footsteps by studying Islam at a pesantren. After graduating from high school, he studied accounting at Undip, and earned his Master’s degree from Gajah Mada University (UGM) and his doctorate degree from Universiti Sains Malaysia. He has been teaching at Undip for 24 years, and an expert in behavioral and management accounting.

New Undip Rector Expected to Maintain Achievement

Tanamkan Kebhinekaan Sejak Dini

Republika, halaman 5

Federasi Serikat Guru Indonesia (FSGI) menyatakan paham radikal banyak masuk ke sekolah-sekolah di Indonesia. Bahkan, banyak diantara siswa yang terpengaruh paham tersebut tak mau memberi hormat kepada bendera merah putih.

Sekjen FSGI Retno Listyarti mendapatkan informasi itu dari banyak guru di berbagai daerah, namun Ia tak mau menyebutkan nama-nama sekolah yang dimaksud. Paham radikal ini tak hanya datang dari satu agama atau kepercayaan saja, tapi ada beberapa paham radikal yang berasal dari berbagai agama dan kepercayaan.

Menurut Retno, guru harus waspada kalau ada siswa yang pembicaraannya mulai mengafir-kafirkan orang lain, atau saat ekstrakurikuler ada siswa yang menggunakan kaos yang gambarnya berbau radikal atau ekstremis. Apalagi, jika siswa yang biasanya selalu ceria tiba-tiba menjadi seorang pendiam, karena telah dimasuki ajaran radikal yang memintanya mengikuti sebuah kajian tertutup yang harus dirahasiakan.

Retno menambahkan, kebanyakan anak yang melakukan bom bunuh diri atau terorisme merupakan anak-anak yang baru SMA atau lulus SMA yang jiwanya masih labil sehingga mudah dimasuki paham-paham tertentu.

Oleh sebab itu, pendidikan keindonesiaan dan kebhinekaan harus diperkuat. Pemerintah mendatang harus membuat program bersama di seluruh mata pelajaran untuk memasukkan keindonesiaan. Disamping itu, setiap guru juga harus memiliki sikap kebangsaan dan tidak terlalu fanatik terhadap suatu agama sehingga menyalahkan agama lainnya.

Direktur Pendidikan Khusus Layanan Khusus Pendidikan Dasar Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Mudjito mengatakan, sejak kecil anak-anak harus diajarkan bahwa agama apa pun tidak pernah mengajarkan warga negara untuk memusuhi negara. Dalam Islam mengajarkan cinta bangsa dan cinta negara merupakan sebagian dari iman.

Mudjito menambahkan, ke depan harus ditanamkan pendidikan karakter agar lebih cinta negara dan bangsa, dan menghargai ragam budaya, dan etnis yang ada di Indonesia. Dan ini bukan hanya tugas kementerian saja, tapi juga seluruh institusi agama, termasuk masjid dan gereja.

Instill Diversity Early

Republika, page 5

Federation of Indonesian Teachers’ Union (FSGI) stated much radical understanding/ ideologies enter schools in Indonesia. Many among the students affected by such understanding even refuse to salute to the red and white flag.

Secretary General of FSGI Retno Listyarti obtained the information from many teachers in various regions, however she refused to mention the names of such schools.   This radical understanding does not come from only one religion or belief, but there are several radical understandings that originate from various religions and beliefs.

According to Retno, teachers must be alert when a student starts to call other people infidels, or during extracurricular (activities) a student wears T-shirts depicting pictures that are radical or extremist in nature. Moreover, if a student who is usually cheerful suddenly becomes quiet/ remote due to having entered a radical teaching that requires him/her to follow a closed study that must be kept secret.

Retno added, most children involved in suicide bombing or terrorism are children who are new in high school (SMA) or SMA graduates whose souls are still unstable hence easily (influenced) by certain ideologies.

Therefore, education on Indonesia-ness and diversity must be strengthened.   The incoming government must make a joint program in all subjects to insert Indonesia-ness. In addition, every teacher also must have an attitude of nationality and not to be too fanatic towards a certain religion and thus blaming other religions.

Director of Special Education Special Services of Primary Education Ministry of Education and Culture Mudjito said, since early childhood children must be taught that every religion never teaches citizens to be hostile towards the country/ nation.   In Islam teaching love for nation and love for country is part of faith.

Mudjito added, in future character education must be instilled so as to love the country and nation more, and appreciate the cultural and ethnical diversity available in Indonesia. This is not only the task of ministries alone, but also of all religious institutions, including mosques and churches.

Instill Diversity Early

Pengangguran Masalah Serius

Kompas, halaman 11

Penganggur terdidik dari perguruan tinggi pada jenjang diploma ataupun sarjana yang masih tinggi menjadi ancaman serius dalam persaingan tenaga kerja menghadapi Masyarakat Ekonomi ASEAN 2015. Sejauh ini, kajian tentang lulusan perguruan tinggi di Indonesia dan relevansinya dengan dunia kerja belum selesai.

Direktur Pembelajaran dan Kemahasiswaan Direktorat Jenderal (Ditjen) Pendidikan Tinggi Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan (Kemdikbud) Illah Sailah mengatakan, saat ini sedang diadakan tracer study (penelusuran rekam jejak alumni). Studi itu memberikan gambaran jejak lulusan perguruan tinggi dan relevansinya dengan dunia kerja. Dari studi itu didapat informasi penyerapan alumni di dunia kerja , perkembangan karier, dan sejauh mana pendidikan di perguruan tinggi membekali alumni untuk sukses di dunia kerja.

Terkait kemampuan perguruan tinggi menyiapkan lulusan yang dapat bersaing di pasar kerja ASEAN, Illah mengatakan, Ditjen menyiapkan program student mobility dengan sistem alih kredit. Mahasiswa bisa kuliah di perguruan tinggi negara-negara ASEAN selama satu semester atau lebih dan perolehan kreditnya diakui.

Ketua Umum Asosiasi Perguruan Tinggi Swasta Indonesia (Aptisi) Edy Suandi Hamid mengingatkan pemerintah agar serius menyiapkan rencana tenaga kerja. Dengan demikian, diketahui perkiraan kebutuhan lulusan perguruan tinggi dalam bidang-bidang yang dibutuhkan. Menurut Edy, dengan acuan rencana tenaga kerja, terjadi sinergi antara pemerintah (Kementerian Tenaga Kerja, Badan Pusat Statistik, dan Kemdikbud), dunia usaha serta perguruan tinggi. Terkait tracer study, menurut Edy, belum semua perguruan tinggi serius melakukannya. Umumnya, pelaporan perguruan tinggi lebih untuk kebutuhan akreditasi dibandingkan untuk memotret keterkaitan perguruan tinggi dengan dunia kerja.

Secara terpisah, Arum Sejati, alumnus Fakultas Hukum Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) mengaku persaingan mendapaykan pekerjaan berat karena jumlah pekerjaan jauh lebih sedikit dibandingkan jumlah lulusan. Pembukaan lowongan pekerjaan yang diinginkan Arum terbatas, dan hanya beberapa tahun sekali.

Syukri, yang juga alumnus Fakultas Hukum UGM mengungkapkan, sambil menunggu pembukaan lowongan untuk calon hakim pada Oktober, dia mengikuti kursus bahasa Inggris dan memperluas jaringan.

Unemployment A Serious Problem

Kompas, page 11

The still high (number) of educated unemployed from higher education in the diploma or sarjana/ undergraduate levels is a serious threat in workforce competition facing the 2015 ASEAN Economic Community. So far a study on higher education graduates in Indonesia and its relevance to the working world has not been completed.

Director of Learning and Student Affairs Directorate General (Ditjen) Higher Education Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemdikbud) Illah Sailah said, a tracer study (alumni tracing) is currently being carried out.   The study provides a picture of higher education graduates and their relevance to the working world.   From the study, information is had on absorption of alumni in the working world, career development, and how far education in higher education equips alumni for success in the working world.

Related to the ability of higher education in preparing graduates to be competitive in the ASEAN job market, Illah said, Ditjen prepares the student mobility program with credit transfer system.  Students can study in ASEAN country higher education institutions for one semester or more and credit acquisition is recognized.

Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Private Higher Education (Aptisi) Edy Suandi Hamid reminded the government to seriously prepare a manpower plan. Therefore, it is known the estimated needs for higher education graduates in the required fields.   According to Edy, with reference to the manpower plan, synergy occurs among the government (Ministry of Manpower, Central Statistics Agency, and Kemdikbud), the business world as well as higher education (institutions).  Regarding tracer study, according to Edy, not all higher education (institutions) seriously conduct it.   Generally, higher education reporting is more for accreditation requirements as compared to photographing the relevance of higher education to the world of work.

Separately, Arum Sejati, alumnus of of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) claims competition in obtaining work is tight because the number of jobs is far less compared to the number of graduates.   Opening of job vacancies Arum desires is limited, and only once in several years.

Syukri, who is also an alumnus of the Law Faculty of UGM, revealed that while waiting for opening of vacancies for prospective judges in October, he took up English courses and expanded networking.

Unemployment A Serious Problem

 

 

Kendala Bahasa Turut Menghambat Peneliti

Kompas, halaman 13, Sabtu 27 September

Potensi peneliti Indonesia menghasilkan riset unggulan dinilai cukup bagus. Namun, potensi itu belum tergali maksimal karena hambatan internal, termasuk kemampuan berbahasa yang kadang membuat peneliti tak percaya diri mengakses pendanaan dari lembaga donor asing.

Ketua Panitia International Conference on Natural Sciences from Laboratory to Industrial Application (ICONS) Leenawaty Limantara mengatakan, potensi peneliti Indonesia sebenarnya sangat luar biasa. Hanya saja, ada sejumlah kendala, karena minim informasi hingga kendala bahasa. ICONS sendiri diselenggarakan oleh Universitas Ma Chung Malang, bekerja sama dengan Humboldt Foundation. Pertemuan para penelitia dari 15 negara itu berlangsung pada 25 – 28 September di Kota Batu, Malang, Jawa Timur.

Leenawaty yang juga Rektor Universitas Ma Chung itu mangatakan, seharusnya peneliti Indonesia lebih percaya diri mengakses pendanaan internasional karena rata-rata kemampuan akademis mereka tidak kalah. Bahkan, jauh lebih baik dibandingkan peneliti asing.

Kepala Divisi Asia Bidang Sponsorship dan Kerja Sama Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Klaus Manderla membenarkan, potensi peneliti Indonesia sangat besar. Hany saja terkadang peneliti Indonesia punya pertimbangan tertentu dalam mengakses lembaga donor. Klaus melanjutkan, dirinya melihat peneliti di Indonesia kadang mengajukan beasiswa penelitian saat sudah senior. Padahal pihaknya lebih mendukung peneliti muda.

Tahun lalu, pendaftar beasiswa Humboldt Foundation asal Indonesia ada tiga orang, namun semuanya gagal. Adapun pendaftar dan penerima beasiswa dari negara lain dengan kemampuan bahasa Inggris tak sebagus Indonesia, jumlahnya lebih banyak.

Language Constraint Hampers Researchers

Kompas, page 13, Saturday 27 September

The potency of Indonesian researchers to result in good researches is deemed adequate. However, this potency has yet to be optimized due to internal constraints, including language skill that makes researchers not confident to access funding from international donor agencies.

The International Conference on Natural Sciences from Laboratory to Industrial Application (ICONS) Committee Chairman Leenawaty Limantara said, actually the Indonesian researchers’ potency was extraordinary. The problem is there are a number of handicaps, among others limited information access and language constraint. ICONS itself was held by Ma Chung University, Malang, in cooperation with Humboldt Foundation. The meeting attended by researchers from 15 countries was held on 25-28 September in Batu City, Malang, East Java.

Leenawaty who also the Rector of Ma Chung University said Indonesian researchers need to be more confident to access international funding since their academic qualification is not below, or even better than, foreign researchers.

The Sponsorship and Cooperation Division Head of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Klaus Manderla confirmed that the Indonesian researchers’ potency was huge. However, the researchers sometimes have their own consideration to access donor agencies. Klaus continued, he viewed that researchers in Indonesia in many cases proposed research scholarship when they were already senior. Whereas, the foundation prefers to support young researchers.

Last year, there were three Humboldt Foundation scholarship applicants from Indonesia and all of them failed to win the scholarship. The number of scholarship applicants and awardees from other countries that have less English ability is higher than Indonesia’s.

Language Constraint Hampers Researchers

Swasta Minta Beasiswa

Kompas, halaman 11, Sabtu 27 September

Perguruan tinggi swasta meminta pemerintah memberikan perhatian dan perlakuan adil, khususnya dalam pemberian beasiswa pendidikan tinggi, baik di dalam maupun luar negeri. Alokasi beasiswa pendidikan tinggi seharusnya dimungkinkan bagi perguruann tinggi swasta lewat unit khusus yang segera dibentuk.

Seperti diberitakan beberapa waktu yang lalu, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan (Kemdikbud) berencana membentuk Unit Pengelola Beasiswa Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan. Rencana pembentukan unit khusus itu bergulir, antara lain, setelah ramainya masalah keterlambatan pencairan dana beasiswa, terutama untuk penerima yang berkuliah di luar negeri.

Ketua Asosiasi Perguruan Tinggi Swasta Indonesia (Aptisi) Edu Suandi Hamid mengatakan, tak semua perguruan tinggi mampu memberikan beasiswa pendidikan tinggi di luar negeri. Dia berharap unit baru itu memeratakan penerima beasiswa sehingga peluang bisa lebih banyak untuk daerah yang terbatas jumlah tenaga berkualifikasi pasca sarjana dan doktor. Contohnya di wilayah Indonesia timur dan perguruan tinggi swasta berskala kecil dan menengah.

Tentang keterlambatan beasiswa, Edi mengatakan, keterlambatan penerimaan beasiswa sudah sering dikeluhkan, tetapi tak pernah ada solusi permanen. Hal itu dinilai Edi menyusahkan karyasiswa. Bagi perguruan tinggi swasta yang besar, tidak ada masalah karena mereka bisa memberikan pinjaman terlebih dahulu atau dana talangan kepada karyasiswa dan dosennya. Namun, akan sulit bagi perguruan tinggi swasta kecil dan karyasiswa yang berasal dari keluarga tidak mampu.

Menanggapi hal itu, Wakil Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Musliar Kasim menegaskan, unit baru itu baru akan terbentuk pada tahun anggaran mendatang. Rencananya, unit khusus beasiswa itu akan beroperasi lazimnya lembaga pemberi beasiswa asing lainnya. Unit khusus itulah yang akan menanyakan perkembangan karyasiswa langsung ke universitasnya.

Pencairan Beasiswa Luar Negeri Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi Kemdikbud, yang dikeluhkan terlambat beberapa waktu lalu, masih terus diproses. Hingga kemarin, dari total 1.136 karyasiswa, telah terbit surat perintah pencairan dana (SP2D) bagi sebanyak 1.049 penerima beasiswa.

Private (Universities) Request Scholarships

Kompas, page 11, Saturday 27 September

Private tertiary education institutions asked the government to provide attention and fair treatment, particularly in higher education scholarship provisioning, within the country as well as abroad.   Higher education scholarship allocation should be possible for private tertiary institutions through a special unit to be immediately established.

As reported some time ago, Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemdikbud) plans to form an Education and Culture Scholarship Management Unit.   The plan to form the special unit rolled, among others, after the height of the problem of scholarship fund disbursement delays, especially for recipients who study abroad.

Chairman of the Association of Indonesia Private Tertiary Education (Aptisi) Edu Suandi Hamid said, not all tertiary institutions are capable of providing higher education scholarships abroad.   He expects the new unit evenly (provides) scholarship recipients such that more opportunities could be (available) for regions with limited number of qualified post graduates and doctors. For example, in Eastern Indonesia and small and medium scale private tertiary education institutions.

Regarding scholarship delays, Edi said delays in receiving scholarship (funding) have often been complained, but there has never been a permanet solution.   Edi considers this matter troubles students.  For major/large private universities, it is not a problem because they can provide loans first to their students and lecturers.   However, it would be difficult for small higher education institutions and students who come from poor families.

In response, Deputy Minister of Education and Culture Musliar Kasim asserted, the new unit will only be established in the coming fiscal year.  The plan is that the scholarship special unit would operate like any other foreign scholarship provider institution.  It is that special unit which inquires the development of students directly to the university.

Disbursement of Overseas Scholarships of the Directorate General of Higher Education Kemdikbud, which had been complained of delays recently, still continue to be processed.   Until yesterday, from a total 1,136 students, there has been an instruction letter (SP2D) issued for the disbursement of funds to 1,049 scholarship recipients.

Private (Universities) Request Scholarships