Twin degrees - perfect combination for students

Twin degrees - perfect combination for students

Rudijanto, Contributor/Jakarta

The partnerships between Indonesian and overseas universities
in providing more international curricula and offering double
degree programs in many ways constitute a blessing for many
students here.

Obtaining two degrees simultaneously, one from an established
foreign university and another from an Indonesian one, seems to
be the perfect combination for some Indonesians, who will
willingly pay whatever it takes.

While the tuition fees are much higher for double degree
courses, compared to the cost of studying overseas one would have
to agree that enrolling in a double degree program here will be
far more economical.

In addition, pursuing double degrees in Indonesia means that
the students do not have to give up their current jobs. This is
possible because most of the lectures are held after office
hours.

Though some students seek double degrees purely for prestige
reasons, the rest have more practical reasons. The Indonesian
degree enables them to apply for certain jobs here that need the
relevant qualifications, or in certain cases accreditation by the
Indonesian education department. The foreign degree helps them
fulfill the prerequisites for working abroad or in major
multinational companies both here and in other countries.

The dream of obtaining a double degree is nowadays easier to
realize as a number of universities here have started to provide
the necessary programs. For instance, the Jakarta-based
Universitas Tarumanagara (Untar) has commenced a dual-degree
program in partnership with the University of Western Australia
(UWA).

The lectures in English are given by lecturers from UWA's
Graduate School of Management (GSM) and from Untar. Graduates of
this dual-degree program can obtain Master of Management (MM)
degree from Untar and an MBA degree from UWA's Graduate School of
Management (GSM).

Another large university in Jakarta, Trisakti, also offers a
similar program called its "MM-MBA Twinning Program", which it
offers in partnership with the University of Technology, Sydney.
After completing this 22-month program, which is conducted after
working hours, students can earn both an MM and MBA degrees.

For those who are interested in the continental European
educational system, the Swiss German University (SGU) offers it
to students right here. Located in Tangerang, Banten province,
the SGU adheres to Swiss and German educational quality
standards. The SGU has also started a PhD program.

Partnerships between domestic and foreign universities are a
relatively new phenomenon in Indonesia. Applying one of the most
basic economic principles, that of supply and demand, the
mushrooming of such partnerships indicates the existence of a
large demand here.

However, the disturbing question is why some Indonesians crave
foreign education and thereby chase double degrees? Why can't
their needs be satisfied with the existing Indonesian education
system and curriculum?

A former dean of Atmajaya University in Jakarta, who is also a
professor at the University of Indonesia (UI), Harimurti
Kridalaksana, believes that the pursuit of foreign degrees
suggests that many Indonesians lack self-confidence.

"We lack confidence in our own education system, even though
many Indonesian graduates have been successful. Some even teach
in foreign countries. Our system, in my opinion, is already good,
but the problem is that there are certain factors that reduce the
students' confidence in our universities," said Harimurti.

He said that besides the economic factor, the world was
becoming more materialistic. To attract qualified people to any
profession, even as teaching staff, Harimurti is of the opinion
that faculty members must be paid good salaries.

"Universities need people who are concerned and idealistic
about education. We already have a number of such people teaching
in our universities. Those who are willing to teach for less pay,
I mean. But getting more lecturers and so forth will, in
realistic terms, mean we will have to pay them well," he said.

It is a widely known albeit a sad fact that lecturers'
salaries, particularly in state universities here, are among the
lowest in the world. As a result, many lecturers have to earn
extra money by doing side jobs such as serving as consultants
elsewhere.

Education expert Mochtar Buchori believes that there are
various shortcomings affecting Indonesian university curricula.
He said that a curriculum is actually a blue print that reflects
the kind of graduates that will be produced by an educational
institution.

"Our curricula do not clearly the direction in which students
will be led. We are lagging behind foreign universities in many
aspects, for instance, in imparting skills and professional
ethics to our students. As a result, we have legal experts who
violate instead of implement the law," he said.

Given such conditions in the country's institutes of higher
education, it is not surprising that many students are more than
willing to enroll in those local schools and universities that
offer foreign-based curricula and degrees.

Another disturbing question that arises is whether the
partnership programs between local and overseas universities will
be able to produce good graduates. The curricula applied by major
overseas universities such as Monash and Harvard are unarguably
first rate, but the question remains whether they are applicable
or teachable in Indonesia.

Education expert Mariana Setiadarma questions how far local
lecturers can apply the curricula correctly and whether the
programs are applicable in the Indonesian context. Her remarks
seem relevant as most of the universities that apply overseas
programs also employ local lecturers.

"I hear that less than 20 percent of the local lecturers are
qualified," commented Mariana, who is currently the chairperson
of the Laurensia Foundation. Previously, she was the dean of
Atmajaya University and the chairperson of the Kalbe Economics
Polytechnic Foundation (Yayasan Sekolah Tinggi Ekonomi Kalbe).

Harimurti also questioned the suitability of such curricula in
Indonesia. He revealed that some companies expressly said they
preferred the graduates of local universities to those graduating
from Jakarta-based international schools.

"Their curricula is actually not always better than ours.
Besides, such curricula are only suitable in the countries where
they were developed. I doubt if they will be suitable here," said
Harimurti.

Clearly, the experts are unable as yet to measure the success
of such partnerships -- the twin or double-degree programs -- as
the success of their graduates will only become apparent in the
years to come. The existence of such programs, however, has
widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots in this
country.

While admitting that good education does not come free here,
Mochtar is worried about the potential repercussions of this
widening gap. "A good education must be accessible to everyone,
including those who can't afford it. But today's harsh reality is
that there are two kinds of education that are extremely
different. One for the rich and the other for the poor," he
lamented.

If this gap keeps widening, ultimately the image of schools
and universities alike -- in fact, centers of learning generally
-- will be damaged. It seems that education is being
commercialized to such an extent that only the rich can now enjoy
it and will one day be the only ones to reap its rewards. For
others, education will become an unattainable luxury.

When the most important criteria for admission is how thick
one's wallet is rather than his or her qualifications, then the
quality of graduates will also be questionable. If this trend
continues, universities here may simply turn into lucrative
businesses.

"We have to be very careful about the impending dangers of
commercialization. We have to start thinking about how qualified
people, who may be "unqualified economically", can also enjoy a
good education in this country. It is time to seriously think
about improving our own education system and other related issues
so that we can provide a good education for all," said Harimurti.

One of the hurdles that must be crossed before this goal can
be achieved is the need to increase the country's budget
allocation for education. Unfortunately, it is among the lowest
in the world.

According to The Center for the Betterment of Education (CBE),
Indonesia's education budget in 2004 amounts to only one percent
of the country's GDP. The CBE reveals that the education budget
in most advanced countries often reaches between 4.5 percent and
7 percent of their GDPs, while in a number of developing
countries, the budget ranges between 2.5 percent and 7.5 percent
of their total GDPs.

Obviously, one way of competing with other countries is to
improve the country's entire education system and facilities, and
other relevant aspects. All this will mean a huge expenditure.
But this will be money well spent and well invested for the
future of the nation. The last hurdle that remains is political
willingness. It is high time that this became apparent as, after
all, the country's future is at stake.