UNS – The Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Prof. Jamal Wiwoho, shares UNS experience in facing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to Universitas Palangka Raya (UPR) academic member, Wednesday (27/5/2020).
In the webinar titled ‘Learning During and Post COVID-19 Pandemic’, Prof. Jamal mentions the 2G policy he took as one of the preventive and responsive measures for the UNS in order to be able to conduct lecture, research, student, and community service activities smoothly, even though Surakarta is designated as COVID-19 Extraordinary Event (KLB).
“There is a policy known as 2G, which refers to ‘Geser (switch)’ the event and ‘Ganti (replace)’ the budget for the switched event, to maintain the Key Performance Indicator (KPI),” explains Prof. Jamal while opening his material.
In front of the Rector of UPR, Dr. Andrie Elia, and the Rector of IPB University, Prof. Arif Satria, who also serves as one of the speakers during the Webinar, Prof. Jamal discuses the 2G policy taken by UNS. For the switch policy, Prof. Jamal uses online lectures that can be implemented using synchronous and asynchronous methods. These two methods can be used as a middle ground both for lecturers and students, thus, they are not burdened with excessive internet package cost.
Even though UNS has changed the face to face lectures into online lectures since March 16th, Prof. Jamal said that UNS routinely and continuously maintains the quality of learning through evaluation and quality control that is monitored directly by the Institute for Research and Community Engagement (LPPM) UNS. Moreover, UNS also actively establish a communication with a number of international universities to held online international conference and seminar.
“There are many professors from international universities who are willing to be online visiting lectures and serving as team teaching. We also attempt to hold online international conferences and seminars,” he continues.
Prof. Jamal also shares the experiences regarding university agenda, students’ activity, and community service, where UNS has successfully held an online undergraduate thesis, master thesis, and dissertation examination. Not only that, but UNS also held an online graduation ceremony, which coincides with the Education Day on May 2nd, 2020. Even though the ceremony was not held in G.P.H Haryo Mataram Auditorium, 259 have successfully inaugurated by the Rector of UNS.
For the ongoing agenda, UNS students are undergoing the COVID-19 Students’ Community Service Program (KKN COVID-19) to assist the community and government in stopping the COVID-19 transmission. When deployed by the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration, Abdul Hakim Iskandar, Prof. Jamal mentioned that there are a number of themes carried-out in the implementation of KKN COVID-19 UNS, such as public health, food security, and engaging as the COVID-19 task force.
Meanwhile, for the budget replacement, Prof. Jamal uses the internet credit assistance given to the UNS students and procurement of logistic assistance for UNS students who remained in their studio apartments during Surakarta COVID-19 KLB, as an example.
“The implementation of the 2G policy during COVID-19 Pandemic must rely on the policymaking prudence, fiduciary duties that must be concerned with the stakeholders’ needs, and are innovative,” he concluded. Humas UNS/Yefta
