Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), Prof. Bambang Cipto, M.A. reminded that ASEAN Economic Community has been started. A number of goods, services, and experts in ASEAN regions have already come and go freely. Nevertheless, Indonesia has not prepared yet. Higher education ought also be encouraged to be able to compete with other international universities. This fact leads UMY to prepare and gain acknowledgment globally.
“In 2020, World Trade Organization (WTO) coincides free flow of goods, services, and skilled labors. Skilled graduates having international experiences will possess greater occasions of a good position. In the five-year preparation, there will be challenges to confront,” declared Prof. Bambang in a workshop of UMY’s internationalization on Wednesday (3/2). The workshop is conducted for two days, 2-3 February in Neo+ Awana Hotel of Yogyakarta.
On his remark, he informed that the population growth in Asia escalates and is dominated 15-19 years old people. “The population growth is dominated by teenagers. UMY does not need to worry about having the small number of students, but the university has to concern with good quality of academics and programs of UMY,” he stated.
Prof. Bambang mentioned one of the best universities in Denmark, AAL Borg Uni achieving 5 stars by QS. “UMY has 21,560 students, while AAL Borg possess international students accounted 3,234 students. A university should have the great number of international students in order to be acknowledged by all of the world.
UMY obtained 5 stars by QS for facilities, social responsibilities and inclusiveness. However, UMY should foster its internal standards, particularly in academic field. “To achieve UMY’s internationalization, UMY need foreign lecturers. UMY will recruit two foreign professors for each department so that there will be 70 foreign professors,” he told.
He inserted that UMY needs two general strategies to achieve the internationalization, namely acceleration and innovation. “Those two general strategies are significant to be an excellent university which can move rapidly, and can make innovation,” he said.
Besides, the specific strategies are empowering international programs of undergraduate degree, providing international programs of master’s degree and doctoral degree, adding international faculties, accepting international students, sending UMY’s students to overseas, and reforming library. “One of my ambitions is that all departments have international programs. I dream that interaction in UMY uses foreign languages like English, Arabic, and others. All departments accredited ‘A’ are obligated to have international program,” he wish.
Prof. Bambang conveyed that the existence of UMY relies on the activeness of various parties. He told that the university put harder work to gain accreditation by QS that to achieve accreditation by AIPT. “Managing a university can be analogized as marathon which may not stop. Once it stops, it is over,” he ended.
