Ganesha University of Education (Undiksha) Singaraja continued improving the performance of human resources (HR). One of the improvement was in terms of foreign language and Information Technology mastery. That was done due to overseas internship programs and students’ exchange as well as preparing graduates and lecturers’ competence to compete in the era of ASEAN Economic Community.
To improve the foreign languages mastery, there were 350 students and lecturers from various departments on Monday (5/3) participated in the Launching of Conversation Class Batch II and Speaking Class Batch I Partnership between Ganesha University of Education and ICEE at Undiksha Auditorium. This event was officially opened by the Rector of Undiksha, Dr. Nyoman Jampel, M.Pd.
Dr. Nyoman Jampel, M.Pd said, the mastery of foreign languages and IT both for students and lecturers now has become a must. Moreover, recently Undiksha started implementing some programs abroad. He pointed out, the activities were like the internship programs and student exchanges with some countries. In order to run the program successfully, students and lecturers are demanded to improve their foreign language and IT.
“Now the students’ competence skills are not enough, since the mastery of foreign language must be improved as well as IT. This is not only to support academic activities such as internship program and students exchange, but also to prepare them to face the era of ASEAN Economic Community, “he said.
According to Jampel, the mastery of foreign languages and IT play important role in facing the era of ASEAN Economic Community. This is because of the working opportunity for graduates including the opportunity for prospective lecturers to compete with the other graduates or prospective lecturers from abroad. So that, if this condition is not handled properly, it could be seized by the foreign students or foreign prospective lecturers.
“If the quality of the graduates and lecturers in the country is good, but the competition with foreign teachers or foreign graduates needs to be followed up with the addition of foreign language mastery,. When it can be done well, I am sure we will be able to compete in the era of ASEAN Economic Community, ” he explained.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the committee. Ni Made Ratminingsih, M.A said that this event would be held for 12 – 16 meetings. The tutors involved were all from America. Participants would be grouped according to the level of foreign language skills. The activity would be begun with a large group meeting and then forming smaller group activities. In addition to improve foreign language mastery, participants would be involved in discussing their lesson in the classroom and then presenting the material by using the foreign language. “Since this involves foreign tutors, we are confident that the participants will improve their foreign language mastery and if this continues, the students or the lecturers will be ready to join the education program abroad or compete in the job market in the era of ASEAN Economic Community ” she said.
