UMN Holds Academic Meeting Welcoming the Odd Semester 2022/2023

TANGERANG – After two years of holding online meetings, the entire university higher-ups, leaders, and lecturers at Multimedia Nusantara University (UMN) held an on-site academic meeting at the UMN campus on Tuesday (19/07/2022). This academic meeting was held to prepare for the odd semester and to discuss plans and hopes for the UMN campus.

This meeting was divided into three sessions consisting of presentations from the leaders of UMN. The first session was opened by UMN’s Rector, followed by a presentation from the Dean of each UMN study program, and ended with a closing presentation from other UMN Departments. Though the meeting was held on-site, some participants attended the meeting online (hybrid) via Zoom.

“First, on various occasions, I always repeat what (late) Yakob said, that organizations should be organic and organis. Organic is the organizational structure, while organis refers to the characteristics that makes an organization alive. I do not hesitate to say that UMN is organis, marked by various activities carried out by all parties,” Dr. Ninok Leksono MA, Chancellor of UMN, said in his opening remarks. 

It is undeniable that the pandemic has had an impact on various industries, including the education sector like UMN. Even so, UMN is grateful that they don’t experience a vast decrease in new student applications. The number of new students is relatively increasing. Ninok said that in 2022 (the odd semester), UMN will approximately welcome 2500 new students. UMN has prepared the New Student Orientation, and the orientation will be held offline. Adding to this good news, UMN will also inaugurate around 800 graduates on Saturday (23/07/22).

Plans and Expectations in Odd Semester 2022/2023 UMN

Keeping up with Technological Advances and Learning Innovation

Dr. Friska Natalia, S.Kom., M.T., the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of UMN, reported that UMN would start allowing 100% on-site lectures in the odd semester. “Hopefully things will get better. But we still open the possibility for hybrids. We also have to focus on collaborating with technological advances, especially in the digital field,” Friska said. The hybrid lectures applied by UMN are not only about the location but also about the learning model. UMN combines blended learning and asynchronous learning.

UMN used and incorporated various tools such as LMS, CMS, and others into learning. It is hoped that this can help improve the competence of both lecturers’ and students’ skills and enrich learning. UMN wants to prepare UMN students to have the important skills that must be possessed, especially in 2025.

In addition, Friska also said that it is advised that UMN change the teaching method from teaching-centered learning to student-centered learning. “For example, a project-based case study, and others,” Friska said. The UMN library has also expanded its materials by subscribing to Wiley for ebooks and teaching materials which can improve the lecture process.

UMN wants to encourage innovation in teaching. Therefore, UMN will be conducting a competition for UMN lecturers to think about and generate ideas on how to innovate the teaching process in UMN. Learning model innovations are very important to distinguish between on-site and online lectures because there is a possibility that the material taught by lecturers is also available on YouTube for free.

“If what we teach can be found on YouTube for free, what’s the difference between us and them? Therefore, learning model innovation is very important to be added value for students,” Ir. Andrey Andoko, M.Sc., the Vice Chancellor for General Administration and Finance at UMN, said.

UMN goes international and starts accepting international students

In addition to aiming to become a university with a global standard, UMN has been preparing to enter World Class University since last year. Four UMN faculties will be submitted for international accreditation.

• Faculty of Business UMN to the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) (already submitted).
• Faculty of Information Engineering UMN to The Accreditation Agency for Study Programs in Engineering, Informatics, Natural Sciences and Mathematics (ASIIN e.V.) (under development).
• Faculty of Art and Design UMN to FIBAA (under preparation).
• Faculty of Communication Sciences UMN to FIBAA (under preparation).

Therefore, Friska hopes especially for the coordinating/head study programs to really control the parallel classes, especially in the assessment section. “This starts from the study course/curriculum, assessment, and others based on OBE.”

UMN has also started to accept international students to study at the UMN campus. Friska explained that in the 2022 academic year, there would be international students studying in class. “The study program has prepared a special class conducted in English. So, it is hoped that everything from the culture, language, and others, will be led in English. I hope everything will go smoothly,” Friska said.

Also read: UMN Starts Accepting International Students.

More actively collaborating, competing, and researching.

From the two years of the pandemic until now, UMN has signed many Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with various universities and institutions nationally and abroad. One is with the PLN Institute of Technology (ITPLN), where UMN and ITPLN plan to work on electric vehicles.

“So, they understand the electrical mechanics, and we are asked to develop other systems and applications. All of this shows the organis nature of UMN,” said Ninok. Prof. Dr. Muliawati G. Siswanto, M.Eng.Sc., the Vice Chancellor for Relations and Cooperation of UMN, added another exciting plan. In addition to participating in manufacturing electric cars, UMN is also planning to make UMN Robot.

UMN also encourages UMN students to take part in competitions both at international and national levels. Therefore, it is hoped that UMN lecturers can guide and even ask their students to participate in competitions.

“Now, competitions at the regional level doesn’t have much value. Our goal is to follow accreditations where the competitions that get the most brownie points are national and international levels. I ask for your cooperation to assist the students,” Ika Yanuarti, S.E., M.S.F, CSA, the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UMN. UMN will support the cost of the competition, be it registration fees, accommodation, and others.

Also read: Superb! 18 UMN Students Passed the 2022 IISMA Program.

UMN is very confident that UMN students can win national and international competitions. Muliawati said that UMN students have many perks and strengths, as shown through their achievement in the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program. This year, 18 UMN students successfully passed the IISMA program and are in preparation to immediately go to their respective universities and countries for one semester.

Of course, it is also hoped that UMN lecturers can continue to be active in researching and partnering with academics from other campuses. Dr. Ir. P. M. Winarno, M.Kom, the Director of the UMN Research and Community Service Institute, said that UMN supports the research activities of UMN lecturers and will provide financial assistance and incentives.

Making UMN a Safe and Comfortable Campus, Free From Sexual Violence

UMN always strives to make the UMN campus a safe and comfortable campus for everyone.

“If you think back to what (the late) Mr. Jakob and Mr. Oyong, the founder of Kompas Gramedia, said, that Kompas Gramedia would become a mini Indonesia. Likewise, UMN has become a mini Indonesia where at UMN, people from various backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, culture, and politics, gather,” Andrey said. Especially later with the presence of international students who will bring more diversity to the UMN campus environment. Differences in ethnicity or religion do not become a barrier to working together.

Slightly touching about politics, undoubtedly, each person must have their own political choices and opinions. But Andrey stressed that political differences should not be brought to campus, especially in class.

“If it’s a scientific discussion, of course, it’s open (to be done), but don’t let it become an opportunity to then influence people, let alone create divisions that encourages conflict. We hope that this will not happen on the UMN campus,” Andrey emphasized.

A comfortable campus is not enough; a safe campus is also needed. The rise of sexual violence on campus can damage the safe campus environment. UMN is one of the campuses that has ever had cases of sexual violence on campus. Even so, UMN did not deny or try to hide the cases and was quick to respond. UMN strives to become a campus that is free from sexual violence.

Also read: UMN Invites Universities to Fight Against Sexual Violence.

All lecturers are the same. Of course, there are various kinds of lecturers from full-time lecturers, home-based lecturers, and part-time lecturers. “But, what I want to emphasize once again, is that students only know one word, lecturer,” said Andrey. Meaning that students don’t care if one’s a part-time or full-time lecturer; all lecturers are viewed equally. It is hoped that UMN will not only be an example of handling cases of sexual violence well but also an example of campus free from sexual violence.

In addition to sexual violence, UMN encourages UMN lecturers to pay more attention and monitor their students more closely. Ika said that UMN lecturers could report to the UMN Student Support department if they see or know students in class who may have some issues; UMN wants all students to study optimally. UMN has a counselor who can help students.

“You will soon start teaching in the odd semester. I hope that with the new knowledge and perspectives discussed will enlighten the students, so they can be enthusiastic about attending all of your lectures,” Ninok said.

*by Levina Chrestella Theodora | UMN News Service

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