Whatever innovation is done in education, there must have consequences to be taken. Technology and infrastructure, finally, relate to it at the end of the consideration. So far, there have been some changes in Indonesia. First, the Ministry of National Education and culture has been divided into two Ministries. One is the Ministry of the National Education and Culture. This ministry deals with the primary and secondary schools (Mendikbudnas). The other is the Ministry of Research Technology which deals with higher education (Menristekdikti).
Now the Ministry of Research Technology and Higher Education has focused much on higher education, dealing with universities and colleges throughout the country. The efforts that have been done have tremendous results, especially for the university faculties. For example, the university faculties are now driven to produce their research products and research article published in the research journals.
For journal article publications, Indonesia has its own new academic journal accreditation body, called ARJUNA (Akreditasi Jurnal Nasional). It is the national accreditation bodies that have to monitor, evaluate, and control the academic journals in Indonesia. By having the accreditation body, the university faculties can propose for their journals to be accredited in.
Now, Menristekdikti has reminded all the university faculties of having their research articles published in the reputable academic journals. This is very helpful, especially for those who have got their ranks of full professors and associate professors. They are recommended to publish academic articles in the academic journals at least once during three years.
At the beginning of the ministry's stipulation, with the ministry decree No 17, the year 2017 about research and research article publication, most university faculties thought that this is controversial. However, the most exciting trend is the existence of the academic journals. After the Menristekdikti issued that decree concerning such a regulation, there have been more than 7000 academic journals listed for far in Indonesia. This is remarkable for Higher Education after experiencing for years with difficulty in publishing academic journals for the universities in Indonesia.
Another duty by the university faculties is to do community services besides teaching activities. More specifically, the faculties should also have a duty to get involved in developing the society and environment. For example, they must have a social project to work for developing the public and environment. They can even guide the people living in the surrounding area for lifting up their welfare. They can create some activities beneficial for the public. This is not an easy task for some university faculties, as they often have the burden of teaching for long hours.
Thus, the university faculties in Indonesia are demanded of having three functions: researchers, teachers, and community service providers. Being a researcher, they have to conduct some researches related to the field of science; they have in their educational background. They have to do it at least once a year. Being a teacher, they also have to teach some classes proportionally, as regulated by the Directorate General of Higher Education (DGHE). Being a community service provider, they are expected to do some social activities, for making the environment values lifted up. This can be in the forms of training programs and workshops related to improving human resources quality.
All the three functions above are called Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi (Three Pillars of Higher Education). In executing these three functions, all universities or colleges have undergone different advancement and progress. Those with highly equipped technologies will go beyond and surpass the others. On the contrary, those with low-equipped technology will, of course, be left behind.
In overcoming such discrepancies, it is imperative for universities or colleges to have collaboration between them. They can also go abroad to have a collaboration with overseas universities. This is also recommended, as it can make the universities more reputable. The most beneficial and trendy nowadays is the collaboration on research and workshops or conferences.
When collaboration deals with research, the outputs must be beneficial for the university development of science and technology. The results of the research should be improving both the university reputation in the fields being digested and the faculties' skills in doing the research and the teaching methodologies. The three pillars of higher education in Indonesia require investment, in the form of capital such as fund and infrastructures such as teaching and learning technology.
About the author: Dr. Djuwari
Apart from being the Head of Research Journal Division, STIE Perbanas Surabaya - Indonesia, Dr. Djuwari is also the President of International Association of Scholarly Publishers, Editors, and Reviewers (IASPER). He had dedicated his time as the director of Language Laboratory development (1989 -2003), (Vice Rector/ President for students affairs at this college 2000-2003 while also as the Director of Language Laboratory) and he is now still the Director of Language Laboratory at the same college. During the period of 1989-2003, he had been preoccupied with writing some course books for his students, e.g., English for Accounting, English for Management, English for Banking, English for Stock Exchange, and some textbooks of English for Business Writing. He is also teaching Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian language).
