This was conveyed by him as a coach in a routine meeting on Monday (8/9/2021) which took place in the courtyard of the USU Central Administration Bureau Building. The hybrid event (online and offline) was attended by elements of university leaders, the Board of Trustees, the Academic Senate, the Board of Professors of the Universitas Sumatera Utara, the Rector and Vice Rector, the Secretary of the University, the Expert Staff of the Rector, the head of the institution/UPT/Unit. Work/Head of Bureau/Head of Division at the Universitas Sumatera Utara, the Head of USU's Corps of Civil Servant of Indonesian Republic (KORPRI) and the educational staff of the USU Central Administration Bureau.

Furthermore, USU Vice Rector I also reminded that these new students can be encouraged to increase their awareness of the nation, state and love for the homeland within themselves. Also understand the importance of education to be taken, character education and competency development for nation building and be able to apply it in everyday life.

“One week from today, we will start the new academic year 2021/2022. The year we are still projected to go through the same as the one we have been through and in the academic year and we are about to leave, with various characteristics, namely division of work from home and from the office (WFH and WFO), lectures, community service activities, meetings, scientific workshops and online training. , restrictions/tightening of the entry and exit of people in the campus environment and news about the illness, recovery and death of our colleagues due to the Covid 19 outbreak," said Dr. Edy Ikhsan, starting his speech. 

The New Academic Year 2021/2021 which will start on August 16, 2021 will present 8,653 young talents from 15 Faculties, with the composition of National Selection Test of State University (SNMPTN) pathway: 2,131 students, Collective Selection Test of State University (SBMPTN) as many as 2,463 students, Self-Sufficient Selection Test (SMM) as many as 2,889 students and (Selection Test of Diploma Student (SPMPD) as many as 1,170. The students came from 49 study programs at the undergraduate level and 14 study programs from the Diploma III level.

"We will welcome the 8,653 students of the 2021 batch of students virtually in a series of New Student Campus Life Introduction Activities (PKKMB) on August 12 and 13, 2021. The majority of the 8,653 new students (except students from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry) are the first batch to enroll whom will experience the deconstruction curriculum of Independent Learning and Independent Campus,” said USU Vice Rector I.

On that occasion, he also gave high appreciation to all study programs that have completed curriculum deconstruction as the main prerequisite for starting the learning process in the MBKM Scheme. 

“This is our first challenging experience in the midst of criticism of the idea of ​​presenting 3 Semester Learning Rights outside study programs as regulated in the regulation of the ministry of education and culture (Permendikbud) No. 3 of 2020 concerning National Higher Education Standards. It is undeniable, as when a policy is issued there will be resistance in various forms. Our responses vary and are often wrong because we think that this freedom of learning can be detrimental to lecturers. One form of resistance comes from our fear that the study program will no longer teach core competencies,” he said. 

On the other hand, added Dr. Edy Ikhsan, the lecturers also feel that the class will be empty because students choose to study outside the study program even outside the campus. “This MBKM actually opens up opportunities for us to improve our study program and ourselves to be better. The study program will become more open and ready to receive important inputs from the real world. With this MBKM, lecturers are no longer just lecturers of study programs. By offering the courses we are capable of which we design very well and are very attractive with advantages that other universities do not have, we will be able to sell our courses to students outside the study program, outside the university, even outside Indonesia, "he concluded,  closing the remarks. (RJ/©ULC) 

Author: Renny Julia Harahap - PR

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: Amri Simatupang - PR