Reporting from the public relations of the Directorate General of Higher Education – The Merdeka Learning Campus Merdeka Program is a follow-up to Indonesia's big mission to become a developed country in 2045, coinciding with 100 years of Indonesian independence. One component that supports this progress is Human Resources (HR), where at that time it was predicted that there would be 309 million people with 52% of them being of productive age.

"Before 2045, in 2030 the study says that Indonesia will need 113 million educated and skilled workers as well. Experts and skilled can only be produced from education, while skilled can only be obtained from a combination of academics and practice. This is what is needed, it is this composition that must be completed," said the Director of Resources at the Directorate General of Higher Education (Directorate General of Higher Education) Sofwan Effendi when opening the Socialization of Central Regional Driving Lecturers, on Wednesday (18/11).

According to Sofwan, lecturers, students and other education personnel will play an important role in the composition of human resources in 2045, so this needs to be accompanied by an increase in the quality of higher education. Sofwan also emphasized that the Directorate General of Higher Education strongly encourages improvement in the management of excellent study programs because it is believed that this can produce good graduates and lecturers.

"For that we need a new breakthrough, one of which is the Merdeka Learning Kampus Merdeka episode which has had six episodes. If these six episodes are traced, the basic core of their educational achievements is to make educational people who have noble character and show credibility and self-integrity, then embed the vision of science and technology by thinking innovatively, and capturing market signals by preparing graduates who meet market needs," he said.

All activities of the Merdeka Learning Campus Merdeka program expand the choice of activities for students and lecturers to carry out the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. For the lecturers themselves, there are two advantages, namely having competence obtained outside the campus and getting credit points for career advancement.

Sofwan further explained that the Directorate of Resources of the Directorate General of Higher Education in supporting the development of lecturer and educational staff resources is by offering careers, competencies, qualifications and scientific determination as well as community service. Furthermore, one of the main notes for career advancement is scientific work, therefore scientific work must have scientific principles and be properly reviewed.

"The characteristics of a good work are state of the art , research gap , novelty , conflict of interest , and fabrication , philosophy , plagiarism , authorship , multiple submissions . Therefore, quality publications must be seen from two sides, namely quality journals and quality writing. These two guidelines will bring the lecturer's career up,” he said.

Finally, Sofwan hopes that Indonesia can quickly get out of this pandemic and accelerate the pace of its development through strengthening human resources in all fields, especially for universities.

"Maximizing the Merdeka Learning Campus Merdeka policy so that we can take advantage of all the choices that can be made by lecturers and students in accelerating competence and qualifications," he concluded.
(YH/DZI/FH/DH/NH/MFS/VAL/YJ/ITR)

Public Relations Directorate General of Higher Education
Ministry of Education and Culture