The rapid developments in higher education sector, particularly Geography and Geography Education have to be positively responded. Those developments include the development of study programs, curriculum, role necessity demand, and Geospatial information industry.
Prof. Aris Junaedi, DVM., Ph.D., the Director of Quality Assurance, Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education, said the most important thing in the rapid development in Geography sector is how the academic community can build quality culture.
“The point is building quality culture. It is done by determining the quality standard. The standard has to be well performed in order to reach a continuous quality,” said Prof. Aris at Faculty of Geography UGM on Friday (18/8) during the National Seminar on University Leaders on Geography and Geography Education Sector Communication Forum.
Aris Junaedi hopes those who work in education or academic communities do not only implement the existing guidelines, but also try making innovation and focus on the quality.
Therefore, according to Aris Junaedi, it will create a pattern of behavior that affects their mindset, thus the quality culture will be established in all academic communities.
“In Australia, they have completely understood about quality culture. They seldom talk about accreditation because the quality culture has been built, thus institutions over there are busy to compete to be the world class institution. Therefore, despite the high living cost, many international students come to study in Australia,” said Aris Junaedi.
The National Seminar on University Leaders Communication Forum on Geography and Geography Education is an event that brings all of the university leaders in geography and geography education sectors together. This first forum was attended by 70 participants from 37 universities with 45 participants are unit leaders from faculty, department, as well as study program of geography and geography education.
The event presented several keynote speakers, including Prof. Dr. Hartono, DEA., DESS., the Head of Indonesian Geography Association, and Dr. Muhammad Dimyati, M.Sc., the Director General of Research and Development, Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education. Also attended the event Dr. Eko Kusratmoko (the Head of Geography Department, University of Indonesia), Prof. Dr. Enok Maryani, M.Si. (Professor of Geography Education, Indonesia Educational University, Bandung), Drs. Priyono, M.Si., (Dean of Faculty of Geography, Surakarta Muhammadiyah University, Solo), and Dr. Suprajaka, M.T. (the Head of SKIG BIG).
Prof. Dr. Muh Aris Marfai, M.Sc., Dean of Faculty of Geography UGM said the forum discussed several agendas, including the topic on reformulation of study program’s name in Indonesia, cooperation on higher education development, curriculum development, cooperation on laboratory development, collaborative research, as well as geography profession.