Yogyakarta, February 4th 2022─The first Fisipol Open Days were held by the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM with the theme “Socialization of Academic and Mixed Lectures” on Friday (4/2). The event, which took place via Instagram Live @fisipolugm, presented speakers Wawan Mas’udi (The Dean of Fisipol UGM) and Poppy S. Winanti (Vice Dean for Academic & Student Affairs of Fisipol UGM). The latest academic guide for all lecturers and students of Fisipol UGM was finalized in mid last January. Some of the things formulated in the guide are the issue of Merdeka Learning Campus Merdeka (MBKM), fast track programs, and academic ethics outside the scientific study program. Wawan Mas’udi said that the MBKM system is an SKS (Semester Credit Unit) conversion and is more emphasized as a method to achieve knowledge and competence outside the study program.
“Students, especially undergraduates, have the opportunity to learn in different ways outside of class or lectures, ranging from internships, independent studies, to building villages, there are eight (MBKM arenas) which are used,” Wawan said.
While the fast track program is an opportunity for undergraduate students to be able to continue to the master level before the undergraduate study period is complete. So students can earn both degrees in about four years. The fast track program also applies to postgraduate students who want to continue to the doctoral level. In addition, the latest academic guidelines regulate matters relating to the certainty of academic ethics, such as plagiarism and so on.
Meanwhile, Fisipol is very ready to welcome mixed lectures. In terms of infrastructure, 12 classrooms have been prepared which are equipped with digital devices to support lectures. The attendance system has also begun to be arranged regarding the turn of students who will take classes offline, by limiting 15 students in one meeting. Then, the health protocol has been prepared in full, starting from Genose to Peduli Lindungi screening.
In the midst of all the preparations, the faculty continued to pay attention to the situation of the Omicron case, which was on the rise and had even begun to enter the phase of the third wave of the pandemic. In this case, Fisipol will continue to conduct mixed lectures but by changing the time scheme, which is after the third week since the lectures started.
“While waiting for more definite developments for Omicron, until the third week of lectures, we will push it to be fully online. From the fourth week onwards, hopefully the situation will improve, we will start doing mixed lectures,” Wawan said.
Furthermore, Poppy S. Winanti said that students are not required to take mixed lectures even though they are domiciled in Jogja. Students are still allowed to continue taking lectures online.
“The mixed lectures is actually a right, we facilitate you to get the right to academic services, but your right also needs to be considered with various other aspects including the willingness and health of the lecturers,” Poppy said.