As the pioneer of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) on higher education level in Indonesia, Universitas Terbuka (UT) keeps showing its commitment in providing quality education with accessibility for the people. UT keeps improving its best service to more than 671 thousand students through the power of technology and information through its ODL system. Many universities visit UT to learn directly about the practices and systems of UT, one of which happened on December 19th, 2024, when UT got a visit from Universitas Riau (UNRI) to receive insights regarding the information systems and public relations of UT.
The event that took place at the quality building of UT had leaders from UNRI present, including the Vice Rector of Planning, Partnership, and Information Systems, Dr. Ir. Sofyan Husein Siregar, M.Phil.; Head of Planning and Relations, Drs. Mawardi; Coordinator of Information Systems and Public Relations of UNRI, Levki, S.Kom., M.Si; Assistant Staff for Vice Rector 4 for Public Relations, Clara Yolandika, S.P., M.Si, and other staffs.
From UT, this event was attended by the Vice Rector of Research, Innovation, Partnership, and Business, Rahmat Budiman, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D.; Director of Marketing and Partnership, Ali Tarigan, S.E.; Director of Information Systems, Dr. Muhammad Rif’an, S.T., M.T.; representative of the Head of Business and Investment; Expert Staff of Marketing, Partnership, and, Public Relations, Dra. Ace Sriati Rachman, M.Si.; Head of Subdirectorate of Public Relations and Marketing, Dr. Maya Maria, S.E., M.M.; Head of Subdirectorate of Partnership and International Affairs, ing. Mohamad Rajiih Radiansyah, B.AS., M.Sc., and other DPKS staff showing UT’s openness to share knowledge.
The event started with remarks by Vice Rector of Research, Innovation, Partnership, and Business, Rahmat Budiman, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D., emphasizing the importance of collaboration between universities to provide inclusive education. He also stated that the relationship between UT and UNRI will always expand, especially through UT Pekanbaru as the forefront of UT’s service in Riau. He also stated that information systems to UT is the most important part of service and learning systems.
As from the University of Riau (UNRI), Dr. Ir. Sofyan Husein Siregar, M.Phil, Vice Rector for Planning, Partnership, and Information Systems, expressed his appreciation for UT as a pioneer of ODL in Indonesia. He stated that UNRI is currently exploring distance learning initiatives and expressed interest in developing effective information systems and public relations strategies similar to those implemented by UT. He also expressed hope that this visit would open strategic collaboration opportunities between the two institutions in the future.
The event continued with an exchange of mementos and a group photo, symbolizing the strengthened partnership between UT and UNRI. The main session featured a bilateral discussion on public relations and information systems.
On the public relations side, Ali Tarigan, S.E., Director of Marketing and Partnership, presented UT’s digital public relations strategies. These include leveraging social media and the website to share relevant updates using creative content approaches. He emphasized that UT’s public relations strategies are tied to branding and marketing efforts aimed at attracting Gen Z and millennials, one of UT’s primary student demographics.
On the information systems side, Dr. Muhammad Rif’an, S.T., M.T., Director of Information Systems, explained UT’s online-based operational system, which supports both academic and non-academic processes. Academic applications like E-learning, MyUT, and SRS 5G serve as the backbone of UT’s academic administration services, while non-academic applications such as SIPPP, Promise, and Panutan ensure efficiency and convenience in UT’s business processes for all users. This presentation provided UNRI with insights into the critical role of IT as a foundation for learning and operations in higher education.
The discussion became even more engaging with various questions from the UNRI delegation about UT’s strategies for producing social media content and its IT mechanisms. The Director of Marketing and Partnership emphasized that UT’s content is designed to be modern and appealing to Gen Z, while the Director of Information Systems provided a comprehensive overview of UT’s technological innovations.
Through this visit, UT and UNRI are expected to learn from and share experiences with each other. The strategic collaboration forged between the two institutions is believed to bring tangible benefits to the wider community, particularly in delivering high-quality, borderless education.
