Universitas Terbuka (UT) continues to implement the mission to establish broader equality in higher education for society, including those working abroad. Therefore, UT supports the government in enhancing the competencies and capabilities of Indonesians abroad, especially the workers. Alhamdulillah, UT has provided its overseas education services in 50 countries and 90 cities. The biggest concentrations of the number of students are in “worker countries”, such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. The number of overseas students reached 5.665, and there were 278 students in South Korea.
On Sunday, April 28, 2024, Universitas Terbuka organized the UT Korea graduation event in the office of KBRI Seoul, South Korea. Interestingly, after the graduation event, the official announcement of UT central service for Korea (Sentra Layanan Utama UT – SALUT, Korea) was organized as a new breakthrough from UT overseas service.
The event was attended by the Rector of Universitas Terbuka, Prof. Ojat Darojat, M.Bus., Ph.D., the Attache of Education and Culture Seoul KBRI, Amaliah Fitriah, Ph.D., Dean of Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Dr. Meirani Haarsasi, SE.,M.Si., Vice-Dean for Student, Learning Service and Partnership Affairs of Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Olivia Idrus, S.E., M.Sc., the Head of Marketing and Public Relations Sub directorate of UT, Dr. Maya Maria, S.E., M.M., the Head of Overseas Service Marketing and Administration subdivision, Melly Lyandiani, S.Kom., the Chief Manager of South Korea UT learning service, Anto Purwanto, and the South Korea UT Graduates. \
Prof. Ojat delivered his thankful remarks to the management of South Korea UT learning service, Anto Purwanto, and his team, who were also students of South Korea UT. “Each of you is a great person who is fully dedicated. It is because even in the middle of your coursework, you still want to spend your time supporting our national relatives, Indonesian workers, pursuing their careers and educational degrees,” Prof. Ojat stated.
The graduation event was a delightful ceremony for the 32 graduates of South Korea UT. Prof. Ojat congratulated them for their achievement in completing their study. “I understand that completing a study at UT is not easy, and it requires a true effort and hard work. Moreover, you have to study while working as an Indonesian worker, and not everybody can do that. Therefore, you are exceptionally qualified people who are accustomed to managing the time to study and to work so you can achieve these accomplishments,” He conveyed in admiration. He also delivered his congratulatory remark to the graduates’ families/relatives.
In his remark, Prof. Ojat emphasized the reason for UT’s establishment by the government. UT was established 39 years ago, along with three main mandates to solve our national issues. First, the equality of higher education access to all layers of society could not be implemented by conventional universities. Second, it gives workers an opportunity to access higher education since improving their educational competencies is way too hard in conventional universities. Third, the limit of conventional university capacities does not go along with the increment rate of high school graduates.
As a pioneer in open and distance learning in higher education institutions in Indonesia, UT continues to enhance the use of communication and information technology. It has developed good habits among students to use communication and information technology. UT Rector hoped that UT students would be more confident in encountering the various changes and more capable of learning independently in the use of communication and information technology provided by UT.
In addition, he mentioned Adi Latif Mashudi, the 2022 alumni, as a good example. Adi went viral because of his success story of being a melon farmer and opening agrotourism in his village. Adi has proved that Indonesian migrant and UT alumni can spread many benefits to his local society. Prof Ojat also conveyed, “Let’s implement (dharma bakti) the knowledge obtained from UT eagerly, along with strong optimism, smart and hard work, and the spirit of togetherness. I believe you will be able to make it happen. He stated in his final remark.
After completing the graduation events, there was a strategic activity to improve UT’s broader range and to get closer to the educational service to the students and societies. UT has been initiating collaboration with partners to establish SALUT. Alhamdulillah now has 107 SALUT spread across the nation. During that moment, Prof. Ojat established SALUT of South Korea as a breakthrough from UT Overseas Service and the first SALUT overseas. He congratulated for the first SALUT overseas, in South Korea, as well.
The existence of SALUT of South Korea, the 108th SALUT in general, is hoped to shorten the distance of UT Service access for the students, to spread proper information about UT, and to facilitate prospective UT students in the future. Furthermore, it is also hoped to support the increase in student participation and open the opportunity for higher education for all, especially for Indonesian workers in South Korea.
