Singaraja- Increasing the D3 stratum to an Applied Bachelor is one of the breakthroughs and innovative programs implemented by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology through the Directorate of Vocational Education. This is expected to increase competence, ability leadership, and entrepreneurship graduates of vocational study programs in the future.
The Director General of Vocational Studies at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Wikan Sakarinto, in every meeting, always invites all tertiary institutions, especially PTs providing vocational education to continue to improve and innovate in order to improve the quality of lecturers and collaborate with reputable industry/universities in order to improve quality graduate of. One of the leading programs owned by the Vocational Directorate is the upgrade of the Diploma 3 program to an Applied Bachelor.
Graduates of Applied Bachelors with a graduate degree of S.Tr., which is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the IQF, are designed to have complete and superior competencies. Not only hard skills but also soft skills, teamwork, and leadership, as well as a strong and creative character. In addition, graduates are also ready to adapt to the world of work which is constantly changing and developing with the changing times.
He also conveyed that graduates are educated to become lifelong independent learners. More importantly, competence and character are expected to become strong and creative young entrepreneurs. If graduates of applied bachelor wish to study further, they can continue to the Master in Applied, or Academics Masters, both at domestic and overseas universities.
Ganesha University of Education (Undiksha) as one of the tertiary institutions providing vocational education welcomes the Diploma III enhancement program to an applied degree. This is proven by preparing 8 diploma III study programs owned by Undiksha to become applied bachelor, namely: (1) D3 Informatics Management to D4 Software Engineering Technology, (2) D3 Electronics Engineering to D4 Electronic Systems Engineering Technology, (3) D3 Analyst Chemistry to D4 Applied Chemistry, (4) D3 Aquaculture to D4 Fisheries Biotechnology, (5) D3 Mapping Survey to D4 Remote Sensing Engineering Technology, (6) D3 Hospitality to D4 Hospitality Management, (7) D3 Accounting to D4 Sector Accounting Public, (8) D3 English to D4 English for Business and Professional Communication.
The concept of Independent Learning, Independent Campus, and the Link and Match 8+i strategy is the basis for upgrading a D3 to an Applied Bachelor in Undiksha which is comprehensively carried out with the Business World and the Industrial World (DUDI). In this case, the graduates not only get a diploma with a higher level compared to diploma III. But it is expected to prepare graduates who are ready to work.
In order to increase the D3 to an applied bachelor, Undiksha has received technical assistance from the Team of the Institutional Directorate of the Directorate General of Vocational Education, in preparing aspects of curriculum, human resources, and infrastructure. Chancellor of Undiksha, Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Jampel hopes that 8 diploma III study programs will join the program upgrading to an applied scholar, and the implementation can be approved. So that in this new semester, Undiksha can start accepting new students for applied undergraduate programs in accordance with applicable regulations, and at the same time carry out the migration of students currently in the diploma III program to applied undergraduate programs.
Regarding the implementation of the applied undergraduate program, there are several adjustments that must be made, especially in terms of preparing learning tools (especially project-based learning and case method), collaboration with DUDI in the context of curriculum alignment, involving practitioners in the teaching and learning process, as well as several other activities in order to support the implementation of better applied undergraduate programs.
Through the independent program, independent campus learning, and application teaching factory concept, students are expected to gain field experience (industrial experience) more and better, so that when they graduate and enter the world of work, they have competitiveness, knowledge, and skills that are in line with the needs of the business world and the industrial world.
Undiksha continues to improve and innovate in order to produce graduates who are qualified, competent, and with character to contribute to creating superior human resources for a better Indonesia going forward. Prof. Jampel also hopes that this applied undergraduate program can be involved in a fast-track (3+2 programs). Undiksha is currently collaborating with Ming Chi University of Technology (MCUT) Taiwan. Fast-Track program as a space to provide opportunities for Undiksha students to study for 3 years at Undiksha and 2 years at Taiwan’s MCUT to obtain bachelor’s degrees from Undiksha and master’s degrees from MCUT.
Undiksha is currently also continuing to improve its achievements, both at the national and international levels. Through achieving Key Performance Indicators in 2021, Undiksha is ranked 7th out of 33 BLU PTNs, while in 2022, Undiksha is able to improve its position to be ranked 5th out of 33 BLU PTNs (although this has not been officially announced by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology). In ranking student performance (Simkatmawa), Undiksha is ranked 3 out of 33 PTN BLU (ranked 13th nationally). Likewise, with the achievements in the Scimago Institutional Ranking (SIR), in 2022 Undiksha is ranked 11th nationally, as well as several other achievements made by Undiksha students and lecturers. As the leader and academic community of Undiksha, Prof. Jampel expressed his pride in Undiksha’s current achievements. Hopefully, Undiksha will continue to be able to improve the quality of its tri dharma to become a trendsetter and reputable university.
