The Aquaculture (SPA) study program at Universitas Brawijaya’s Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences aims to be a study program that is always available and provides real benefits to the community, especially stakeholders, through our curriculum and activities both on and off campus. It is important to provide a synergy between the curriculum and the needs of the stakeholders in order to encourage and sustain the life of the SPA. Alumni and stakeholders, of course, play a critical role because their feedback and recommendations are needed as one of the foundations for the SPA’s curriculum design.
The SPA held a virtual gathering of alumni and stakeholders on Saturday, March 6, 2021, via a Zoom Meeting with the title “Silaturahmi Tunaikan Rindu di Hati.” These events are part of the conversion supplement instrument (Instrumen Suplemen Konversi-ISK) preparation for national accreditation and International Accreditation (Agency for Quality Assurance-AQAS) activities, as well as reunions and reminiscing about good old days with colleagues. This activity also aims to improve the SPA network with alumni and stakeholders in order to increase the scope for collaboration related to the freedom of learning curriculum (Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka-MBKM).
The workshop was attended by the dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Universitas Brawijaya, namely Prof. Dr. Ir. Happy Nursyam, MS., 11 lecturers, 68 alumni from various forces and 18 alumni users from various agencies both government and private. This activity starts with showing a profile video of the Aquaculture study program, followed by remarks from the dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Universitas Brawijaya and a group photo. Following was a speech from the head of the SPA, Wahyu Endra Kusuma, S.Pi, MP, D.Sc. On this occasion, the head of theSPA also delivered the Study Program Layout (Achievement, Independent Curriculum, Study Program Target, Study Program Achievement and Expectations).
A dialogue with alumni and stakeholders is the next agenda. The participants were split into two break-out rooms for this activity: an alumni meeting room and a stakeholders meeting room. The conversation in the alumni room was comfortable and intimate, with many alumni offering suggestions and feedback for the SPA’s development, including the apprenticeship phase, which needed to be extended, the completeness of lab equipment, and the strengthening of alumni connections and networks. The discussion events in the stakeholders’ room went well as well. Stakeholders were enthusiastic and concerned about the SPA’s success during the meeting, and many suggestions or feedback were given, including enhancing graduates’ soft skills and field abilities, increasing study program cooperation with government/industry agencies, and requiring curriculum to meet industrial/government trends. The event then came to a close in each room.
The SPA are very grateful for the alumni and stakeholders contributions. As a result of this activity, the SPA will assist alumni in forming alliances, creating collaborative events with alumni (Stadium Generale, joint lectures, 3 in 1 guest lectures, alumni resource seminar), improving education by incorporating alumni and stakeholders, and accelerating collaboration with agencies/industry (MoA). [MD, FES, AR]