Workshop of the Department of Agroindustrial Technology of FATETA IPB: Total Number of Our Engineering Graduates is Lower than Vietnam
Chairman of Badan Kejuruan Industri Pertanian (the Vocational Agency for Agricultural Industry), Persatuan Insinyur Indonesia (PII the Institution of Engineers Indonesia), Prof. Muhammad Romli, said that the number of engineering graduates or engineers of Indonesian Universities is the smallest among countries in Southeast Asia. According to the association data, Indonesia currently has 2,671 engineers per one million of its population. In comparison, India and China have 3,380 and 5,530 engineers per one million people, respectively, while South Korea has 25,000 engineers per one million. Neighboring Malaysia and Thailand have 3,334 and 4,421 engineers per one million people each. Vietnam has already had 9,037 engineers per one million of its population.
Further, he explained that the additional number of engineering graduates in Indonesia per year amounted to 164 graduates or the smallest the Southeast Asian countries. To that end, he stated Indonesia is short of many new engineers every year to help build infrastructure across the archipelago. Thus we have to increase the number of engineering graduates. Because the data show inequality with what should be prioritized in terms of industrial or economic development in general.
Such information was expressed by Prof. Mohammad Romli in the Opening Remarks of the Workshop organized by the Department of Industrial Technology of Agriculture, of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology of Bogor Agricultural University (FATETA IPB). The theme of the workshop was on "Peningkatan Mutu Lulusan Program Industri Pertanian di Era Persaingan Global Improving the Quality of Graduates of Agricultural Industry Program in the New Era of Global Competition", carried out at ATDC Center for Coastal and Marine Resource Studies (PKSPL) of the Institute of Research and Community Empowerment of IPB (LPPM), Baranangsiang Campus, Bogor, on 19 February 2018.
Furthermore, he explained the demands for the current higher education program are the high quality and accountable to ensure accountability and transparency. That will produce agro-industry graduates, which will be required by the stakeholders. In addition, the importance of education-based Outcomes of Learning OBE (Outcome Based Education).
Regarding the curriculum design of Outcome Best Education (OBE), he explained that the curriculum objectives. It is a student-centred approach which actively engages the young person in the learning process is critical if skills which result in healthy behaviours are to be fostered and developed. Thus, a curriculum must be comprehensive, dynamic and flexible enough to enable students to achieve targeted capabilities. "The role of lecturers is very important to the success of the learning process, while the curriculum serves as a support tool," said Prof. Muhammad Romli.
Chairman of the Department of Industrial Technology of Agriculture, of the FATETA IPB, Prof. Dr. Ing. Ir. Suprihatin, stated the objectives of the Workshop were to create better harmony by understanding agricultural industry programs and stakeholders which consisted of professional, industry, and government. The workshop was expected to recommend the the professional profile formula of graduates, learning achievements and agricultural industry discipline. Those programs, he explained, were to increase the qualifications of the graduates of agricultural industry study program in the New Era of Global Competition.
The event was participated by representatives of universities that offer Agricultural Industry Study Program in Indonesia. Resource person invited for the Workshop were from the Indonesian Agroindustry Association (AGRIN), Agroindustry Technology Association (APTA), and Ikatan Ahli Gula Indonesia (IKANI Indonesian Sugar Association). They presented various suggestions and expectations on the quality of graduates of the Agricultural Industry Study Program. (Wied)
