UNS – The efforts to provide an optimum education service is carried-out by Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of educational activity through the online program become one of the effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thesis or final project consultation using teleconference, email, or other platforms is provided for the final year students in UNS.
The Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs, Prof. Ahmad Yunus, MS issues a Circular Number 14/UN27/SE/2020 on March 26th, 2020, regarding Adjustment to the Lectures, Consultation, Mid Semester, Final Assignment Examination, Internship, Thesis, and Dissertation in UNS. This acts as a follow-up for the Rectors’ Circular Number 13/UN27/SE/2020 regarding the Enforcement of Activity Restriction on UNS Campus.
“This Circular is issued to ensure the implementation of a high-quality learning process, even though conducted through the online system. Several implementations of academics activity keep running and are adjusted to the current condition,” explains Prof. Yunus.
Several points delivered in the Circular, among others are the teaching and learning activity and consultation of final project/undergraduate thesis/master thesis/dissertation, Technical Provision for Mid-Term Exam, Final Project, Internship, Undergraduate Thesis, Master Thesis, and Dissertation Examination. Further, the Circular also regulates the implementation of Practical Lecture, internship, as well as the implementation of convocation for the nearest period.
Within the Circular, other particular matters on the purposes of study completion, which related to research activity using secondary data can be done by considering the scientific feasibility.
“Online consultation is allowed for the students to facilitate the thesis or final project preparation. The students can contact any related lecturers to do consultation through teleconference, email, or other available platforms. As for the method for examination, evaluation, and monitoring can be implemented and discussed further by each faculty/postgraduate study/vocational school and unit by considering specificity, practicality, and convenience aspect,” Prof. Yunus added.
Prof. Yunus added that UNS provides an online lecture platform at ocw.uns.ac.id and spada.uns.ac.id. Both can be accessed by the students and lecturers. Besides the two platforms, UNS allows the implementation of online lectures through other platforms. This aims to facilitate the UNS academic member to do online lectures. During the current condition, an adaptive and flexible attitude becomes the key to ensure that a learning plan can be implemented.
The policy to extend the online lectures until April 30th, 2020, certainly become a special challenge for UNS. However, UNS will strive to deliver the best effort to maximize its learning program, even though the online system.
“We suggest to the Faculty/Postgraduate/Vocational School and or the units underneath it, to prepare a help-desk to assist the implementation of service related to online academic activities, either for the lecturers or students,” Prof. Yunus concluded. Humas UNS/Ratri