UNS — Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta is ranked sixth in the most funded Program Kreativitas Mahasiswa (PKM) (Student Creativity Program) from the Directorate of Learning and Student Affairs, Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) of the Republic of Indonesia (RI). This year, UNS secured funding for 185 PKM proposals, increasing by 82 proposals from the 103 funded proposals in 2020.
Director of Academic Reputation and Student Affairs UNS, Dr. Sutanto, DEA, stated that since UNS participated in PKM, this year recorded the highest number of funded proposals. “We sent 963 PKM proposals. Alhamdulilah, 185 proposals won the funding,” Dr. Sutanto explained on Thursday (6/5/2021). He added that the 185 funded proposals secured IDR 1,562,156,798 funding, with the funding granted to each group ranged from IDR 7 million to IDR 10 million.
The 185 proposals that won funding consist of 82 proposals for Science Research (PKM-RE), ten proposals for Social Humanities Study (PKM-PSH), 38 proposals for Entrepreneurship (PKM-K), 13 proposals for Community Services (PKM-PM), 30 proposals for Copyright Initiative (PKM-KC), for proposals for Science and Technology Implementation (PKM-PI), and one proposal for Innovative Works (PKM-KI). These proposals were submitted by students from 11 faculties, 55 proposals from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science (FMIPA), 45 proposals from the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), 38 proposals from the Faculty of Engineering (FT), 18 proposals from the Faculty of Agriculture (FP), six proposals from the Vocational School, six proposals from Faculty of Cultural Studies(FIB), six proposals from the Faculty of Medical Science (FK), three proposals from Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), three proposals from the Faculty of Law (FH), three proposals from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), and three proposals from the Faculty of Art and Design (FSRD).
UNS applied different steps in guiding students to prepare their proposals considering the Covid-19 pandemic. “Students are not on the campus due to the online learning. Therefore, this is a challenge for our team to maintain coordination with faculty members and students in each faculty,” Dr. Sutanto, DEA, stated. The selection process started with the formation of the National Student Science Week (Pimnas) Team that consists of faculty members from each faculty, student affairs office, and PKM Center Team.
“After forming the team, we conducted socialization, shared ideas from faculty members, and collaborated with faculty members and students to prepare proposals. Then we have internal reviewers, external reviewers from national PKM juries. Then we selected the proposals to be sent to the Directorate General of Learning and Student Affairs, Directorate General of Higher Education Kemendikbud RI,” Dr. Sutanto, DEA, explained.
Dr. Sutanto highly appreciates students, faculty members, and PKM Center UNS hard works in achieving this accomplishment. But he reminded that more hard works are required to make 185 funded proposals passed to the Pimnas. Internal coordination for future steps, supervision and internal evaluation will be held soon using online media. UNS provided bail-out funds for students to move forward with their projects while waiting for the funds from Kemendikbud RI. “For PKM-K, UNS will provide a space for (students) to work on their projects. I met the Surakarta Major, and he agrees if UNS wants to use Solo Technopark,” he concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Dwi Hastuti