Starting the intention to rebuild university which experienced dim, Rector of Universitas Veteran (Univet) Bangun Nusantara Sukoharjo, Central Java, Prof. Dr. Trisno Martono carried 12 people of senate entourage to learn at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM). They was met directly by UMM Rector, Dr. Muhadjir Effendi, MAP which was accompanied by Vice Rector I, II and III as well as a number of bureau chiefs and members of the university senate in the rector courtroom on Monday (11/08).
Trisno conveyed that through a comparative study, the entourage wanted to learn from UMM about some things, such as teaching and academic problems. Besides, the percentage number of researches and community service resulted by UMM lecturers also attracted their attention. "Then, please share with us about students and alumni coaching as well as cooperation building strategies," said Trisno hopefully.
It was well welcomed by Muhadjir who told the history of UMM since its establishment in 1964. He admitted that UMM began showing rapid development started in 1986.
Furthermore, the Rector said that the presence of the senate does not dominate the decision-making because all the decisions usually left to the technical implementation unit (UPT). Meanwhile, the responsibility is directly toward central leadership of Muhammadiyah. University Executive Board is also divided into several elements; first, the element of leadership that consists of rector and vice rector. Meanwhile, the vice leadership could be the heads of the bureau and two directors for Masters Program and Directorate for Research and Community Service (DP2M).
"At the beginning, around 1995's, in order to encourage and motivate the lecturers to engage actively in research, campus was brave enough to spend a fairly large fund up to two billion," explained Muhadjir further. It gave a fairly big impact with the increase in the number of lecturer’s research.
Then, it was also disclosed the advantages of being a lecturer at UMM which are always awarded the opportunity to carry out the mandate in serving certain units on campus. "So, besides teaching, they are given the opportunity to earn extra income. So, they need no looking for money outside. Then, there is the guarantee of the future after retirement under the direction of UMM pension fund," added Muhadjir.
With the growing of white campus, Muhadjir admitted that Dikti is not the only institution in which scholarships or competing grant opportunities are depended. Bureau of International Cooperation (BKLN) has managed to establish cooperation with the EU within the Erasmus Mundus scholarship. Besides, the opportunity to learn becomes easier with the presence of American and Iranian Corner at UMM library.
Meanwhile, the student world itself receives great attention from university leaders. This was evidenced by mandating new student to follow character education program for one week through P2KK program. In addition, students are also equipped with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) which is equivalent to Diploma D2. "In addition to getting formal certificate, in the future, UMM graduates also would get student affairs certificates which books students affairs achievements during their study at UMM," said the Rector. (rwp/nas/t_alf)
