The Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) at Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) welcomed a visit from students of Firdaus Negara Bali on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The group, consisting of 30 students and accompanied by 5 teachers, participated in a series of activities held at the GKB 4 Hall, 4th floor, UMM. Prior to the event, the students, guided by the UMM Public Relations team, were given a campus tour.
In his opening remarks, Ahmad Rifki Ali, S.Pd., a representative from SMA Firdaus Negara, explained that the purpose of the visit was to provide guidance to the 12th-grade students who will soon be continuing their education to higher education. Additionally, the visit aimed to broaden their understanding of various opportunities they can explore through choosing the right majors and universities. "UMM’s reputation is well-established. Specifically, we want our students to gain a better understanding of the teaching profession, especially regarding its prospects in the future. We hope they leave here motivated and inspired," he said.
Meanwhile, Achmad Muzakki, M.Pd., the Secretary of UMM’s New Student Admission Unit, expressed gratitude for choosing UMM as the destination for the visit. He also provided an overview of UMM’s profile and its flagship programs, supported by a strong network and business units. UMM is partnered with over 2,600 organizations and has 28 business units that serve as platforms for students to develop their skills and potential. UMM also offers various international programs. "There are many opportunities to take advantage of, including the Erasmus+ Programme, a scholarship exchange program to Europe," he explained.
The event continued with a presentation about FKIP UMM, delivered by Fida Pangesti, S.Pd., M.A., a representative from UMM’s Public Relations team. In her presentation, Fida emphasized the key reasons for choosing a teaching profession. "In the midst of rapid technological developments that are replacing many professions with AI or robots, teaching is one profession that will never be replaced. Why? Because teachers do not just teach; they educate, not only 'teaching' but also 'touching,'" she explained passionately.
Fida further highlighted that one of the advantages of pursuing a teaching degree is the relatively fast return on educational investment compared to other fields. Data from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) in 2022 also showed that Indonesia is short of 970,140 teachers, which means there is a high demand for teachers. This is further supported by the availability of the Teacher Professional Education (PPG) scholarship program, which facilitates the development of teachers' professional competencies.
FKIP UMM itself offers 7 undergraduate programs, namely Indonesian Language Education, English Language Education, Biology Education, Mathematics Education, Civic Education, and Elementary School Teacher Education (PGSD), as well as the PPG program for professional certification. All of these programs have been accredited with the highest rating of "Excellent."
"Equally important is that all of our programs have a Center of Excellence (CoE), which are specialized programs designed to ensure that our graduates' competencies align with industry needs. This is part of our UMM Pasti UMM Program: Pasti lulus tepat waktu (guaranteed on-time graduation), pasti kerja (guaranteed employment), and mandiri (independent)," she added.
The CoEs include Professional Biology Classes for the Biology Education program, Media and Digital Animation Classes for the Mathematics Education program, English for Hospitality for the English Education program, Editorial and Publishing for the Indonesian Language Education program, Educational Consultancy for the PGSD program, and Digital Tour Guides for the Civic Education program.
In addition, all programs in FKIP UMM also offer an equivalency program for theses. Students have the option to choose between the traditional thesis route or an equivalency route, which may include publishing journal articles, competing in national competitions, or participating in Student Creativity Programs (PKM). "This is an innovation we continue to develop to ensure our students graduate on time," explained Fida, who is also a lecturer in the Indonesian Language Education program.
The presentation was met with great enthusiasm from the students, as evidenced by the number of questions raised during the Q&A session. One student, Adinda, inquired about the CoE internship program. It is hoped that this visit marks the beginning of building connections and potentially welcoming these students to join the academic community at FKIP UMM in the future. (*fd)