Tangerang Selatan, February 28, 2024 – Kampus Merdeka (Independent Campus) program remains popular among students, including those at Universitas Terbuka (UT). UT, as a higher education institution under the Ministry of Education and Culture, actively participates in participating Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program by facilitating its students to join various MBKM programs, including the Internship and Certified Independent Study (Magang dan Studi Independen Bersertifikat – MSIB).
MSIB program is part of the Kampus Merdeka initiative, aiming to bridge the gap between the availability of qualified human resources and industry demands (career preparation). MSIB program highly attracts students, including those at UT, as it offers real-world experience and learning in their respective fields of interest.
In early 2024, MSIB program entered its sixth batch, and UT experienced a significant increase in the number of students accepted into the program. For MSIB 6 Batch, UT accepted 157 students, compared to 94 in 5 Batch. This indicates a remarkable 60% increase in the number of UT students accepted to MSIB program. The distribution of UT students in the MSIB program is as follows:
Internship Program Participants: 24 students
Independent Study Program Participants: 133 students
The distribution across faculties is as follows:
Faculty of Law, Social and Political Sciences (FHISIP): 7 Internship Students and 40 Independent Study Students
Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB): 6 Internship Students and 38 Independent Study Students
Faculty of Science and Technology (FST): 7 Internship Students and 47 Independent Study Students
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP): 4 Internship Students and 8 Independent Study Students
By 157 UT students were successfully granted MSIB program and the program set to commence soon, UT organized a virtual welcome and orientation session for the participating students. The event was conducted via Zoom and facilitated by Nur Ambia Arma, M.A.P., attended by Dr. Kartono, S.Pd., M.Si. as the head of MBKM, Anto Hidayat, S.IP., M.Si. as the coordinator of MSIB at UT, academic vice deans, vice deans for student affairs, learning services, and cooperation, academic advisors for MSIB Batch 6th, MBKM team representatives from faculties, and two student alumni, Haris Fadhilah (Internship MSIB Batch 4th) and Layalia Nabilah (Independent Study MSIB Batch 5th).
The event began with a speech from Dr. Kartono, S.Pd., M.Si., the Head of MBKM at UT, who expressed appreciation and motivation for the selected students in MSIB Batch 6th. He encouraged students to accomplish the program, achieve optimal results, and uphold the reputation of UT throughout the program. Following Dr. Kartono’s speech, Anto Hidayat, S.IP., M.Si., the Coordinator of MSIB at UT, provided details about the policies and implementation of MSIB Batch 6th, covering academic regulations, the number and distribution of students accepted to the MSIB program, program duration, learning activities during the program, and course conversions for participating students.
The event concluded with a sharing session by two student alumni of MSIB program. Haris Fadhilah, an alumni of the Internship MSIB Batch 4th at ParagonCorp, and Layalia Nabilah, an alumni of the Independent Study MSIB Batch 5th at PT. Revolusi Cita Edukasi (RevoU), shared tips for success with the students of MSIB Batch 6th. Both alumni motivated the students to experience the program properly, aiming for optimal results and maximum benefits from the learning experience.
The event ended with a question-and-answer session and a group photo session. Through this activity, UT reaffirms its commitment to facilitate and support students in participating in Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Program. The hope is that with more students participating in the MBKM program, the quality of human resources will improve, bringing positive impacts and benefits to various stakeholders.
