"Off-campus learning through MBKM does not only hone students' technical skills, but also students' non-technical abilities," director general of vocational education at the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry, Kiki Yuliati, said in Denpasar, Bali, on Tuesday.
The program has also helped students adopt an industrial mindset, which would not be possible on campus, she added.
"On campus, they get an academic mindset, but in industry, they get an industrial mindset," she remarked.
The program took students out of their comfort zone, she said. Its participants also increased from year to year. The program began in 2020 with a total of 7 thousand students.
The number of vocational students participating in the program in 2021 increased by 65.15 percent compared to the previous year, she noted.
Acting director general of higher education, research, and technology at the ministry, Prof. Nizam, said that MBKM has encouraged students to get out of their comfort zone.
"Thank God, in 2021, more and more people got out of their comfort zone. There were more than 60 thousand students taking part in MBKM. This year, more than 130 thousand students have participated in MBKM," he informed.
He said that more and more universities are participating in MBKM and he has realized that the program is the future of Indonesian education.
One program participant, Hanny Chairunnisa, said that during her six-month internship at Metrodata Academy, her party faced issues related to learning.
"The main difference is in the experience, and also I get new experiences to continue to collaborate and innovate," she added.
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Translator: Indriani, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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