ASEAN University Network on Higher Education for Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) has once again assessed study programmes at Universitas Gadjah Mada. Now it is the Nursing study programme at Faculty of Medicine and Engineering Agriculture at Faculty of Agricultural Technology that are assessed.
Prof. Dr. Suratman, UGM Vice-Rector for Research and Community Service appreciated the AUN-QA work for UGM. Until today there are 29 study programmes that have already been assessed by AUN-QA at UGM.
“We hope the assessment of the AUN-QA would bring benefits for UGM to improve its reputation at the global level as part of the efforts to resolve problems in this century and also related to ASEAN Economic Community. UGM clearly needs a network to meet its vision and mission statements,” said Suratman in the Multimedia room on Tuesday (2/5) when opening the event.
Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti from the AUN-QA Secretariate expressed appreciation to UGM for their trust and support with AUN standards of assesment. AU- QA was established in 1989 while at program level it started ten years ago to ensure highly qualified university graduates that are professional in ASEAN region. It aims to mobilise qualified workforce in the region, which is to support ASEAN community .
“Now more universities have asked to join associate membership of AUN for assessment. AUN has opened for non-members since 2013. Today AUN-QA has 48 associate members of which 15 are from Indonesia,” said Choltis.
Choltis added with this network and experience, AUN reached new frontiers of development. AUN-QA assesment at institutional level has materialised and UGM has also been scheduled this year.
Choltis also explained that the key features of AUN-QA is the process and continuous improvement related to education, teaching, and learning. It is not aimed at accreditation but assesment for improvement. Another feature is that the system is owned by member universities instead of the AUN-QA because the members are those that develop and experiment the system.