KAGAMA South Kalimantan visited Universitas Gadjah Mada to discuss cooperation in scholarships and [i]Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) on Monday (25/3). This visit aims to strengthen the relationship of alumni with their alma mater, as well as to increase educational access for people in South Kalimantan who’s interested in continuing their study in Universitas Gadjah Mada.
In the meeting, Mr. Rudiansyah as the head of [ii]Pengda KAGAMA South Kalimantan expresses hopes for cooperation between companies in South Kalimantan in terms of scholarships. Currently, several companies have collaborated with other universities, and hopefully that similar cooperation will be formed with UGM in the near future.
“In the future, we hope that UGM can hold a Kuliah Kerja Nyata in South Kalimantan, especially in the city of Banjarmasin. This is due to the high enthusiasm of the community to pursue further education at UGM which will provide significant benefits for the local community,” said Rudiansyah.
Rector of UGM, Prof. Ova Emilia, Ph.D., responded positively to the proposal. She explained that UGM has prioritized Kuliah Kerja Nyata involving KAGAMA activities, which aims to connect alumni with prospective alumni or students and establish cooperation with the Regional Government. In addition, Prof. Ova also plans to promote scholarships through Pengda KAGAMA. This will facilitate access to information for the scholarship candidates in South Kalimantan.
“Currently, the KKN program is being arranged to be more structured, measurable, and have a direct impact on the community. In the future, UGM will focus on the needs of the community at the KKN location and strive to make the program more optimal. For this reason, KAGAMA is expected to be a partner that supports the sustainability of the KKN program at the location,” explained Prof. Ova.
Dr. Sigit Priyanta, S.Si., M.Kom., as the Secretary of the Directorate of Education and Teaching at UGM, explained further the student admission process at UGM. He conveyed that UGM has two types of student admissions, namely [iii]Penerimaan Bibit Unggul (PBU) in 3T (Tertinggal, Terdepan, dan Terluar) areas and through the Affirmation Program. For admissions through PBU, recommendations from KAGAMA or proposals from the Regional Government can be used for consideration. Meanwhile, UGM also holds a computer-based entrance exam ((Ujian Masuk (UM) UGM). Currently, the implementation of UM UGM outside Java has been carried out in several cities, including Balikpapan, Makassar, Medan, Pekanbaru, and NTT.
Dr. Arie Sujito, S.Sos., M.Si., as the Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, also gave his point of view on the KKN program. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between universities at the KKN location with the local regional government. In addition, regarding the opportunity to study at UGM, Dr. Arie explained that the achievement path of the student report cards could be use as consideration. KAGAMA is also expected to contribute in terms of ethical dimensions to support the Affirmation Program.
The meeting of KAGAMA South Kalimantan and UGM is expected to strengthen cooperation in the field of education and provide wider opportunities for the people of South Kalimantan to continue their studies at UGM. This is a clear effort in supporting the achievement of SDGs No. 4, which focused on the education quality. Through cooperation in scholarships and the KKN program, both parties strive to increase the accessibility of education and the quality of learning for the people of South Kalimantan. In the future, it is hoped that synergy can be created between alumni, students, universities, and regional governments to improve the quality of education and provide real benefits for the community.
[Alumni Relations/Article:Kamila,Syahrul/Photo:Ari]
[i] Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) a program initiated by UGM to empower communities through student visits to relevant regions to contribute to the local community.
[ii] Pengda (Pengurus Daerah) stands for Regional Representative Council which refers to local chapters or branches of an organization. In this case, it represents alumni associations of UGM (KAGAMA).
[iii] Penerimaan Bibit Unggul (PBU), is a program implemented by UGM, focuses on admitting outstanding students from specific regions, particularly in 3T areas (lagging, leading, and outermost). Recommendations from organizations like KAGAMA or proposals from local governments plays a role in the selection process. Additionally, UGM conducts computer-based entrance exams (UM UGM) in various cities outside Java to facilitate broader access to education.
[iv] Ujian Masuk (UM) UGM is an assessment conducted by UGM for student admissions. It utilizes a computer-based system and is administered in various cities.