USU Public Relations - Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) held a Focus Group Discussion on solidifying the Merdeka Learning Campus Merdeka (MBKM) program. This activity invited a number of MBKM government and industry partners, which was held at the Grandhika Hotel, Wednesday (14/12/2022).

This FGD is in the form of monitoring and evaluation of collaborations between USU and partners involved in MBKM. Vice Rector III for Research, Community Service, and Cooperation of USU Prof. Dr. Poppy Anjelisa Zaitun Hasibuan S.Si., M.Si., Apt said this was needed to communicate the progress of the MBKM program process and discuss the obstacles faced to improve the quality of USU's MBKM implementation in the following year.

"Evaluation and monitoring of the cooperation that has been carried out so far is needed to provide information related to the advancement/progress and results obtained during the program, both by the MBKM program participants, the University of North Sumatra and partners so that the implementation of cooperation in the coming year can be carried out even better and provide the best results for all parties," said USU Vice Rector III on her opening remarks.

According to the Vice Rector III of USU, the implementation of MBKM at USU has been going well and the relationship between USU and MBKM institutions and company partners has a strong bond. In this FGD, USU also screened new MBKM partners.

"[The bonding] is strong so far, we already have quite a lot of partners and we are still looking for new partners. The existing partners are very well supported by USU," she said.

Later, input and criticism submitted by USU collaboration partners from the MBKM side in this discussion forum will be collected and taken to make improvements. Director of Education Development Dr Muhammad Anggia Muchtar ST, MMIT said that MBKM is an obligation for every university so that through the screening of new partners in this FGD, it can facilitate the mobilisation of MBKM and expand the distribution of students to the industrial world.

"We will re-initiate our partners, and we are also currently screening new partners. Hopefully, we will get new partners in this FGD so the mobilisation of MBKM activities and the distribution of students to the industrial world will be broader than before," Anggia explained.

Meanwhile, to overcome problems regarding the MBKM score recognition, Dr Muhammad Anggia Muchtar ST, MMIT said that in 2023 the Director of Education Development formed a recognition team in each faculty at USU.

"In 2023, we will create and plan a recognition team in each faculty, whose job is to recognise (the scores). Until now, the recognition protocols are still scattered and determined by the faculties themselves, so in the future, a team will be created for all the faculties," he explained.

Author: Bambang Riyanto - Humas

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: - - Humas