National accreditation system to be launched<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The much-awaited accreditation system, set up by
\nthe National Accreditation Board to regulate universities and to
\nbring them up to certain standards, will come into effect this
\nJuly.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the board Sukadji Ranuwihardjo told a hearing with
\nthe House of Representatives yesterday that 1,408 universities
\nwith more than 5,000 study programs will undergo the
\naccreditation process in the first semester of the 1996\/97 school
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Under the plan, the universities will be graded according to
\nthe quality, efficiency and relevance of their study programs.
\nThe accreditation system was tested at 10 state-owned
\nuniversities and five private ones last year.<\/p>\n
In the future, all study programs will be labeled as either
\naccredited or non-accredited, Sukadji told members of the House
\nCommission X for educational affairs.<\/p>\n
In the past, study programs in private universities were
\neither labeled as "equivalent" to similar programs at state
\nuniversities, "recognized" or merely "registered" by the Ministry
\nof Education and Culture. This system was often criticized and
\nthought to be open to manipulation.<\/p>\n
"The accreditation is meant to improve our graduates'
\nquality," said Sukadji, who was accompanied by Director General
\nfor Higher Education Bambang Soehendro.<\/p>\n
"Universities which fail to meet the standard will be labeled
\nnon-accredited," Sukadji said. "Those which are accredited will
\nbe given an A for the highest level of compliance with the
\naccreditation system, B for the average level and C for the
\nlowest level."<\/p>\n
Of the universities to be subjected to the scheme, 76 are
\nstate-owned, 104 are specialized training academies, and 1,228
\nprivate universities.<\/p>\n
Accredited private universities will be able to conduct their
\nown examinations rather than apply the ones prepared by the
\nMinistry of Education and Culture.<\/p>\n
Sukadji said the new system will help increase the public's
\ntrust in the quality of local universities.<\/p>\n
Sukadji said universities which fail to meet the standard in a
\ngiven year's evaluation will have a certain period of time to
\nimprove their performance before the next evaluation.<\/p>\n
The first stage of the accreditation process will be conducted
\nby the individual university's senate of professors, using
\nguidelines established by the accreditation board, Sukadji said.<\/p>\n
A team from the accreditation board will then analyze the
\nresults.<\/p>\n
The board, which now has 20 people, is expected to have an
\nadditional 16 to 18 members for the 1996\/1997 term.<\/p>\n
"With 36 members, we can set up 12 panel groups to evaluate
\nthe universities," Sukadji said. "Every panel will have to
\nevaluate about 50 to 60 study programs starting in July."<\/p>\n
He said that the Ministry of Finance has agreed to provide Rp
\n3.5 billion (US$1.5 million) for the board for this year's
\nprogram, adding that it actually needs more. (31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/national-accreditation-system-to-be-launched-1447893297",
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