Micro-credentials (MC) are gaining popularity and competing more with traditional higher education programs, following swift changes in the global job market. To ensure the quality micro-credentials, Institutions should strive to grow and develop their programs to provide more online learning access for the wider community. To achieve this aim, Dr. Dyah Weny Respatie, S.P., M.Si., Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Faculty of Agriculture UGM along with UGM Vice Rector for Education and Learning UGM, Dean of Faculty of Animal Sciences, Head of Sub-Directorate Academic Studies, and Manager of UGM online attended a Workshop on Building a Common Understanding and Set of Policies for Micro-credentials in Los Banos, Philippine. The workshop was hosted by The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 6-7 May 2024. 

UGM as a core member of SEARCA and University Consortium (UC) took a part as the leader in the Postgraduate Micro-credentials in Food Security and Climate Change (PMC FSCC) together with Kasetsart University, Thailand. The workshop was attended by the delegations from UGM, Institut Pertanian Bogor and Universitas Brawijaya (Indonesia), University of the Philippines Los Banos, Central Luzon State University, and Visayas State University (Philippine), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (Malaysia), Maejo University and Kasetsart University (Thailand). This project aimed to discuss and reach an agreement on how to harmonize the existing university policies in the development and delivery of micro-credentials and was funded by the European Commission ERASMUS+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) program. 

Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Center Director and Head of the UC Secretariat, welcomed all the participations and highlighted the important role of policies to guarantee quality higher education. 

Faculty of Agriculture UGM was actively participating in the workshop as our programs is closely related to the field of Food Security and Climate Change (FSCC), in addition, we are also the members of UC. Dr. Dyah Weny Respatie, S.P., M.Si, Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs of Faculty of Agriculture highlighted that the policies in MC among the UC members is linked to our policies including its implementation in our graduate programs. Dyah added that preparation of Micro-credentials for postgraduates will open up the opportunities for our postgraduate students to take international courses and competencies. “The offered module is compatible with our master’s Study Program which can be implemented in the master’s Program curriculum” said Dyah. 

In addition, Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, SS, M.Hum., DEA, UGM Vice Rector for Education and Learning, stated that UGM’s involvement in the PMC FSCC module development is part of implementation of our commitment to provide opportunity for community to access the development of science and technology through learning platforms on ugmonline.id channel. 

UGM as the leader of PMC FSCC module development also delivered a presentation on the survey findings conducted among the project participants during the workshop. The purpose of the survey was to understand about the rules and regulations pertaining to MC in each university. Through this discussion session, a draft report on harmonizing university policies to develop micro-credentials was created. 

The development of the PMC FSCC module will be legitimate contributions from UGM in the implementation of sustainable development goals, especially in SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. 

Author : Desi Utami

Internasionalisasi pendidikan diwujudkan dengan kolaborasi antara Fakultas Pertanian UGM dan Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Jepang, yang dikemas dalam bentuk penawaran beasiswa short-term study oleh Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). Pada program beasiswa ini, delapan mahasiswa Fakultas Pertanian UGM mendapatkan kesempatan untuk melakukan student exchange dan short-term study di Jepang.

Qurrotul Uyun, mahasiswi Magister Agronomi Fakultas Pertanian UGM, merupakan salah satu penerima Beasiswa JASSO Short-Term Study. Uyun menyampaikan bahwa ketertarikannya untuk mendaftar beasiswa tersebut adalah untuk mendapatkan ilmu dan pengalaman baru dalam penggunaan alat-alat laboratorium yang lebih advance.

“Saya mendapatkan informasi beasiswa ini dari program studi saya. Kemudian, saya tertarik karena saya ingin belajar lebih jauh mengenai penggunaan alat-alat yang lebih advance, di mana saya rasa Jepang merupakan tempat yang sesuai untuk hal itu,” ungkap Uyun.

Program yang akan berlangsung hingga Agustus mendatang ini, memberikan kesempatan bagi Uyun dan mahasiswa lainnya untuk tidak hanya belajar di lingkungan Yamagata University, tetapi juga untuk menjelajahi budaya masyarakat Jepang, seperti yang disampaikan oleh Hamdhanie Fikri, mahasiswa Magister Ilmu Tanah.

“Setelah kurang lebih sebulan di sini, saya mendapatkan hal unik mengenai budaya masyarakat Jepang yang sepertinya tidak ada di Indonesia, yaitu adanya klasifikasi sampah di tingkat rumah tangga,” jelas Fikri.

Beasiswa JASSO yang menjadi salah satu program student exchange di tahun 2024 membawa judul program “The Education and Research Leader Upbringing Program to Environment Preservation through Agri-Food Linkage”. Nantinya, para mahasiswa akan melakukan penelitian, baik di laboratorium maupun kerja lapangan, dengan didampingi secara langsung oleh supervisor di Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Jepang. Kegiatan ini menjadi wujud nyata dukungan Fakultas Pertanian UGM dalam mencapai tujuan SDGs, antara lain nomor 4 “Pendidikan Berkualitas”, nomor 9 “Industri, Inovasi, dan Infrastruktur”, serta nomor 17 “Kemitraan untuk Mencapai Tujuan”.

Fakultas Pertanian UGM mengapresiasi prestasi para mahasiswa penerima Beasiswa JASSO. Berikut adalah daftar nama mahasiswa tersebut:

1. Qurrotul Uyun – Magister Agronomi – Angkatan 2021 Genap
2. Hamdhanie Fikri – Magister Ilmu Tanah – Angkatan 2022 Genap
3. Muhammad Fathoni Akmal – S1 Proteksi Tanaman – Angkatan 2020
4. ⁠Isna Aprilia Chofifah- S1 Proteksi Tanaman- Angkatan 2021
5. ⁠Berliane Nur Cahyani – S1 Ilmu Tanah – Angkatan 2020
6. Andi khusnul Fatima bahar – Magister Fitopatologi – Angkatan 2023 ganjil
7. Andriyana Eva Aprilia – Magister Ilmu Tanah – Angkatan 2022 ganjil
8. Prakosa- Magister Agronomi – Angkatan 2022 Genap

Kegiatan ini juga menjadi pendukung terwujudnya tujuan SDG 4: Pendidikan Berkualitas, SDG 9: Industri Inovasi dan Infrastruktur, dan SDG 17: Kemitraan untuk Mencapai Tujuan.

Penulis: Hanita Athasari Zain

Foto: Dokumentasi Mahasiswa