This is very necessary because mastery of information technology is an absolute requirement in an effort to increase competitiveness and quality of human resourcesJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has advocated the expansion of online learning programs by universities so that youth in rural areas can benefit from them.
“As an archipelago, with varying socio-economic conditions (seen across the population), education through e-learning can be an option for people to access higher education," Ma'ruf Amin said during the virtual opening of the Asian Cyber University (Unsia), from Jakarta on Tuesday.
Online learning would make education more accessible to people as it is more affordable and flexible in terms of the learning schedules, he continued. However, to this day, few universities are providing the option of online learning, he noted.
"Although the e-learning system can be an alternative learning system, currently, only about 20 out of 4,741 universities in Indonesia have implemented online learning or e-learning," VP Amin said.
Online lectures can help create more quality human resources (HR) as they allow students to take advantage of information technology, he pointed out.
In addition, said the Vice President, the online learning system would indirectly help increase a student’s mastery over technology and information skills.
"This is very necessary because mastery of information technology is an absolute requirement in an effort to increase competitiveness and quality of human resources," he remarked.
To support the expansion of access to higher education through online lectures, the government is continuing to strive to improve the quality of the information technology infrastructure, he added.
"People in remote areas need to also have Internet access in order to participate in e-learning activities that are increasingly developing today," the VP said.
At the Asian Cyber University, learning will be carried out entirely online.
The establishment of Unsia was initiated by the Foundation for Advancing Science and Culture (YMIK) after it obtained an in-principle permit from the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education in 2019, as well as an operating permit from the Minister of Education and Culture in 2020.
The Asian Cyber University is the first campus in Indonesia to be led by a foreign rector from South Korea, Jang Youn Cou. (INE)
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Translator: Fransiska Ninditya/Aria Cindya
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