Wawasan Open University hosted the visit of a team from President University, Indonesia today to explore collaboration in offering degree and MBA programmes via open distance learning in Indonesia.
GETTING TO KNOW THE DELEGATION FROM PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY.
The delegation led by the Rector, Dr Chandra Setiawan, included Suresh Kumar, Head of Academic Bureau and Learning Development; Dr Vincentius Winarto, Advisor to The Chair of The Foundation; and Tien Lamanna, the Treasurer.
The delegation met up with Pro-Chancellor Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, WOU Sdn Bhd Chairman Dato’ Seri Stephen Yeap, Vice Chancellor Prof Dato’ Dr Ho Sinn Chye, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic-ODL) Prof Madhulika Kaushik, Chief Administrative Officer Yeong Sik Kheong, and representatives of the four Schools.
Prof Ho briefed them about WOU, elaborating on its ODL mode of delivery, QA processes, its learning support services, and the programmes offered, including entry pathways, student workload and duration of study.
The President University, said Dr Setiawan, currently offers over 30 degree programmes via face-to-face through its four Schools. Each 144-credits programmme has to be completed in 10 semesters, with three semesters per year. Established in 2001, it is the only private university in Indonesia offering all courses in English, with an intake of around 1,500 students every year from 100 cities in Indonesia and from abroad, namely China, Vietnam, and South Korea.
BRIEFING BY PROF HO.
Dr Setiawan is happy that his government has opened up for other universities, besides Universitas Terbuka, to offer ODL programmes, and that the two-year moratorium imposed on all new study programmes will soon end. “Then we can cooperate with any institution to run the MBA programme.”
They have positioned themselves as an English language medium university to encourage English speaking, and to enable students to have two semesters of working experience through their internship in companies. He said the university is located in the Jababeka Industrial Estate, the fastest growing industrial park in Southeast Asia, which needs more English speaking employees.
Several questions were directed to WOU, such as the role of industry leaders in the Advisory Peer Group, QA practices, open entry procedure, tutor recruitment process and qualifications, learning management system, setting of exam questions and marking scheme, online enrolment, and MQA requirements.
DR SETIAWAN (RIGHT) PRESENTS HIS UNIVERSITY’S PLAQUE TO WOU.
Dr Setiawan remarked, “We would need the MBA in Manufacturing & Production Management since we are located in an industrial park.” He also expressed interest in the QA steps taken for development of every course in WOU.
To Yeong’s query if President University is receptive to running a degree for WOU in the ODL mode in Indonesia, either jointly or alone, Dr Setiawan, said, “If our government recognises the degree, then yes. You can apply through President University as we need the government to acknowledge the collaboration.”
The visitors subsequently met separately with the academics from WOU’s four Schools to discuss further on collaborative initiatives between the two institutions.
