UNS – The Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Prof. Jamal Wiwoho, stated that campus has a serious duty to carve future leaders through education, research, and community service program. This statement was delivered in Leader’s Talk & Mini Talk Show on ‘Millennial Become Billionaire with Jouska’ held by Bank Indonesia (BI) Surakarta Regional Representative Office (KPW), Thursday (18/6/2020).
The process of preparing students as future leaders, according to Prof. Jamal, must be pursued through a conducive school/campus environment. Additionally, guidance needs to be provided from the early level starting from the elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, until university. “Campus must become a guide for students to think logically through an updated means and to perform activities based on their conscience. School and campus must become a conducive, good, and highly ethical field for the growth and development of rational, original, constructive, and creative ideas,” Prof. Jamal conveyed.
Amid the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Prof. Jamal as the Chief of The Council of Rector of Indonesian State University (CRISU) considers that a responsive leader is critically needed by the community. The responsive trait mentioned by Prof. Jamal can be proved by leader responsiveness in dealing with rapid change. At times like this, a leader is also demanded to be able to provide explanations, hopes, and direction that must be achieved.
In the presence of participants who joined the event through YouTube live broadcast and Instagram account of KPW BI Kota Surakarta, Prof. Jamal appreciated various steps taken by President Joko Widodo and his staff in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. For him, the policies that have been taken can be evidence of a leader’s presence in the community during the crisis.
“I appreciated President Jokowi who has appeared early March to remind people to be careful with Covid-19. The presence of our leader, from the President, Minister of Health, Coordinating Minister, and Task Force that handle Covid-19 and regional leaders all went down to immediately solve the problem,” Prof. Jamal continued.
Learning from the central and regional government in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, Prof. Jamal considers that the leader’s attitude put forward is an example of leadership characters building in each person’s personality. Thus, Prof. Jamal doubted the statement that says a leader is born from genetics/hereditary factors.
“It is not something you can just take, that is why there is leadership training. If we observe today’s leader talk, then again, we should consider Aristotle’s statement that a good leader is also a good follower. They must hear and feel what is happening below,” he concluded. Humas UNS/Yefta/Dwi
