The ASEAN Economic Community will officially take effect in 2016. This will lead to competition among Southeast Asian countries. There are at least eight professions that will face competition in the economic zone, including engineers, architects, tourism workers, accountants, dentists, survey workers, medical practitioners and nurses.
Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D., saw the AEC would not weaken the nation’s competitive power or threaten the state economy. On the contrary, AEC is an opportunity to increase competition among HR and increase national industry growth. “We need to be aware of the nation’s character that gets awakened after getting pressured, then it will get more excellent in the end,” she told some 1,092 people who have passed from graduate programmes in a ceremony at Grha Sabha Pramana Hall of UGM on Tuesday (19/1).
According to the Rector, Indonesia has reliable HR capacity that can support and control economic openess in ASEAN. “However, the courage to step forward and create something new are the determining factors in the success of the nation in the AEC era,” she said.
The Rector gave an example of two state enterprises that had no competitors previously had even flourished after the emergence of domestic competitors. These are BRI bank and flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. “In 2014, BRI earned the biggest revenues worth 24 trillions, far above those of other private banks and state banks,” she said.
The flag carrier Garuda Indonesia which was the only national airline in the past had progressed rapidly and offered better services after it had competitors. “Based on the current ranking, this airlines can beat Singapore Airlines,” she said.
She told the students that have just earned masters, specialists, and doctorates not to fear competition with foreign experts from across ASEAN. “Even facing terrorist does not fear us Indonesians, we even made the Not Afraid movement on social media (following the recent Thamrin bombings), let alone face the AEC,” she said.
For information, UGM inaugurates as many as 1,092 graduates, consisting of 993 masters (7 foreigners), 53 specialists, and 47 doctors. Average study for magister programme is 2 years and 8 months, specialist 4 years and 9 months, doctorate 5 years and 11 months. The shortest study time for master is completed by Dilan Mulia Permatasari (S2 Law) in 18 months 6 days. The fastest study period – 38 months and 27 days for doctorate is by Faisal (Veterinary Science).