Universitas Gadjah Mada confirms campus will reopen next semester, around September or October 2021, for the 2020 and 2021 entry student cohorts. The University will conduct blended teaching and learning activities and enforce strict health and safety protocols to prevent the COVID-19 spread during the process. The reopening also targets students who need to meet qualifications for practicum activities, research, community services, and final assignments.
“We hope that all faculties strengthen their respective Health Promoting University (HPU) teams to support this reopening plan. We prioritize those of the 2020 and 2021 entry cohorts and all students who need to complete offline requirements to return to campus,” said UGM Vice-Rector for Education, Teaching, and Student Affairs Professor Djagal Wiseso, Thursday (3/6).
Djagal explained that students who intended to participate in the blended learning were required to submit letters of approval from their respective parents or guardians. They also must comply with the health measures determined by the University’s COVID-19 Task Force. For this initial stage of implementation, offline lectures were available only for students who resided around the Yogyakarta area.
Head of UGM Academic Policy Innovation Center Hatma Suryatmojo added that, as mandated in the latest Rector’s Circular Letter, there would be a designated team for the blended learning project in each faculty. They later would form a task force consisting of each faculty’s Health Promoting University team, Covid-19 Task Force team, lecturers, and staff. Their tasks included mapping the required courses, facilities, classrooms, and equipment for the upcoming offline lectures and activities.
According to Hatma, there won’t be any grade differences between blended and fully online course takers. Students who cannot take in-person lectures can continue their online learning prepared by their respective study programs. He also hopes campus reopening can increase students’ competence. As reported from several survey results regarding full online participation, there have been indications of a decline in students’ competence due to some inevitable unfulfilled targets during online learning.
“The weight of grades remains the same between those who take lectures offline and online. Offline classes aim to help students to understand the subjects better and more comprehensively,” said Hatma.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photo: Firsto