The independent student exchange program (PMM) of the Directorate General of Higher Education (Ditjen Dikti) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) has been successful and has successfully inspired Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia students as well as students in Indonesia. Through this program, the Ministry of Education and Culture and universities in various parts of Indonesia have succeeded in increasing students’ insight into Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, as well as strengthening cross-cultural and ethnic brotherhood.
In addition, this program is also successful and successful in building student friendships between regions, ethnicities, cultures, and religions, thereby increasing the spirit of national unity and integrity. This program also succeeded in forming students’ attitudes in respecting the diversity of cultures, views, religions, and beliefs, as well as opinions, working together and having social sensitivity and concern for society and the environment.
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia participates and participates in taking an important part in realizing the independent learning campus policy (MBKM). Through this program, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia seeks to realize the National Policy Direction and Strategy of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in the Mental Revolution Development Agenda and Pancasila Ideology Development to Strengthen National Cultural Resilience and Form an Advanced, Modern, and Character Mentality of the Nation.
Through this independent student exchange program, as a concrete form of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia in realizing a mental revolution as an academic and cultural movement in affirming Indonesia as a pluralistic nation-state, having a diversity of ethnicities, customs, cultures, languages, and religions, which form a unity in diversity : Bhinneka Tunggal Ika in the education system in higher education, especially at the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
In this 2022 independent student exchange program, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia participated in and succeeded in two types of independent student exchanges in the form of inbound as host or recipient which was attended by 92 students from 30 universities in Indonesia and in the form of outbound as participants by sending 45 students to take part in the program. held in 22 other universities in Indonesia.
The independent student exchange program is coordinated by Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia through the Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Affairs and the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Directorate of Education. Director of Education Dr. rer.nat Asep Supriatna, M.Si explained that the mechanism for the independent student exchange carried out by UPI was by compiling or adjusting a curriculum that facilitated students to take courses, determining and offering courses that students could take, setting a quota of participants taking the offered courses., and set the number of credits that can be taken. Learning activities are carried out face-to-face and online (online).
The Coordinator of the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia MBKM Team as well as the Head of the Financial and Resource Administration Section at the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Directorate of Education, Agus Sutiawan, SE said that Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia role as a sending university as well as a destination or recipient university, seeks to make independent student exchanges run well and establish cooperation between universities to organize credit transfers that students can participate in and allocate quotas for inbound and outbound students. In addition, UPI strives to provide the best service for students in implementing this program, monitoring the implementation of student exchanges, assessing and evaluating student exchange results for later recognition of student credits, and reporting the results of learning activities to the Directorate General of Higher Education Kemendikbudristek.
Agus Sutiawan, SE explained that students participating in the Independent Student Exchange Program (PMM) must participate in and complete the Nusantara Module program which contains providing a comprehensive understanding of diversity, national insight and love for the homeland which includes four types of activities, namely cultural exchange, inspiration , reflection, and social contribution. In the implementation of the Nusantara Module, the PMM participant students are guided by the Nusantara Module Supervisor who is responsible for making materials and carrying out the Nusantara Module activities based on the guidelines for the preparation of the Nusantara Module.
Guiding and facilitating PMM Participating Students in accordance with the activities specified in the Nusantara Module to be able to take part in the Nusantara Module properly. Conduct an assessment of participant engagement, dynamics, and progress. Compile and submit monthly reports based on activities carried out in the Nusantara Module on the page provided. Approved the monthly report of PMM students. Provide final assessment to PMM Participating Students. Following up on the feedback provided by the Directorate General of Higher Education regarding the implementation of the Nusantara Module and Managing the funding of the Nusantara Module activities.