Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang

           University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) again received a visit from vocational school students. A total of 400 students from Sunan Drajat Vocational School Paciran Lamongan crowded the theater room of UMM Dome, Wednesday (1/26), to obtain information about this White Campus. The delegation warmly received by Technical Implementation Unit of New Student Enrollment (UPT-PMB).

           After having a dialogue about UMM, vocational students were happy to see Accounting, Informatics and Multimedia labs. Unremitting they raised questions related to the lab management and its use by students.

           In the dialogue session, mostly questions were on the interest in the success of UMM alumni, especially about the scholarships offered by UMM. They seemed enthusiastic and could not wait to find out how to get it.

           The guide teacher, Drs Saptin, said that Sunan Drajad Vocational School had multiple majors. There were Architecture Engineering, Mechanical engineering, Automotive Engineering, Industrial Electronics Engineering, Computer and Network Engineering, Fishing Ship Engineering, Multimedia, Dressmaking, Accounting, and Office Administration.

           According Saptin, UMM has been widely known in Lamongan as one of the leading universities. Their arrival at UMM was seemed to be right because it has adequate departments and facilities. "The group does not need to go somewhere away. It is enough to visit UMM only for almost all the departments exist here and relevant to the science pursued," he said.

           Besides, Saptin also stated about the success of UMM alumni in Lamongan. He gave an example of Vice Headmaster of Curriculum and Counseling and Guide teacher at Sunan Drajat Vocational School in which they were UMM alumni. "We often hear stories about this campus and finally we can come directly here," he said.

           Meanwhile, the Head of New Students Enrollment Unit, Wasis, SH stated, UMM routinely receive visits from various schools across Indonesia. The visit was expected to not only just a visit, but also a possibility of cooperation, both in terms of community service or the use of technology.

           This Faculty of Law lecture stated UMM is active in organizing library training to schools. Here, New Students Enrolment Unit with UMM Central Library gave training to schools so that they would be able implementing digital library. "Such kind of event has been implemented since 2005 and currently it has lasted up to three batches of about 60 schools in East Java," he added.

           Digital library needs, said Wasis, become obligatory facilities for school, especially International Standard Pilot School/Rintisan Sekolah Berstandar Internasional (RSBI). Schools that had attended training were currently in testing phase by using the original software of UMM, LASers which was developed by Muhammadiyah Digital Library Research Group (MDLRG).

           Partnership would be forwarded in the form of UMM Corner in high schools. UMM Corner is expected to help increase the quality of school education, especially in improving the quality of reading, searching the literature, reference books and book collections which are accessible to students and teachers. (rka/t_alf)