Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim recently stated that a thesis is no longer mandatory as a graduation standard. He revealed that now the graduation requirements are handed over to each head of education program (kaprodi) at each university.
“The final project can take various forms. It can be a prototype, it can be a project, it can take other forms. Not just a thesis, thesis or dissertation,” said Nadiem in MERDEKA LEARNING eps 26: Transformation of National Standards and Higher Education Accreditation on the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture’s YouTube, Thursday (29/8/2023).
Nadiem explained that the provisions were part of the Freedom to Learn program he initiated.
According to Nadiem, the thesis should not be used as the sole determinant of a student’s graduation. Because, there is not only one way to measure someone’s competence.
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Photo: Doc: Ministry of Education and Culture
Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Nadiem Makarim. |
He assessed that competency can actually be measured from the projects and implementation carried out by students. This is especially true for vocational education.
“There are various kinds of study programs where we might show our competence in other ways, especially vocational ones. This is very clear, if we want to look at someone’s competence in a technical field, is scientific work the right way to measure technical skills that?” he said.
The Ministry of Education and Culture’s official website explains that there are at least five alternatives to replacing the thesis. It is believed that this alternative can provide benefits that are as great or even superior to writing a thesis or thesis.
The following are five alternatives to replacing a thesis that can be a requirement for student graduation, according to the official website of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
1. Collaborative Projects
In collaborative projects, students work in teams to complete innovative projects relevant to their discipline. These projects can include research, product or service development, or even solutions to real social problems.
There are two types of collaborative projects to choose from:
1.a. Multidisciplinary Work Teams: Collaboration between students from different disciplines enables the exchange of ideas and knowledge. Collaborations like this can foster a diverse learning environment and prepare students to collaborate in the real world.
1.b. Innovative Projects: The projects carried out are of course in accordance with the scientific background studied by students. Example: a project to create an AI-based application that provides real benefits to society for students majoring in Information Technology.
2. Portfolio
Another substitute for a thesis is a portfolio. Students can collect their work during their studies, such as essays, presentations, projects, and other academic achievements. This portfolio can be used to reflect their achievements and development during their studies.
3. Internship and Field Practice
Students can also choose internships and field practice as a substitute for a thesis. Internships can be undertaken in industries or organizations relevant to their study program to gain practical experience.
There are many benefits from a work internship program, including students being able to gain industry connections and professional networks as well as gain insight into current/actual industry expectations.
4. Product Prototype
Students can develop product prototypes for their final assignments, especially for vocational or vocational majors. For example, students from the automotive engineering department can make motor vehicle prototypes with their team.
In terms of financing, this project can also be funded directly by the company that made the product prototype, so this will benefit students who can be free from high research costs.
5. Scientific Publications
The final alternative for the final assignment is to motivate students to contribute to scientific publications. This may include writing scholarly articles, conferences, or participating in joint research with faculty. Even though they both carry out research, this publication provides more tangible benefits to the world of education.
This form of final assignment is very suitable for students who want to choose a career path as academics or researchers.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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