Unesa.ac.id., SURABAYA–The policy of the Minister of Education and Research and Technology, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, which gave students the option not to have a thesis, elicited various responses. Nevertheless, in general, higher education leaders positively welcomed the policies conveyed in the Launching of the 26th Merdeka Learning Episode some time ago.
Rector of Surabaya State University (UNESA) Prof. Dr. Nurhasan, M.Kes., for example, believes that the policy without a thesis does not facilitate the process of obtaining an academic degree, but ensures that students' final assignments can have an impact on society.
"I think this policy only opens up the option that final assignments do not have thesis, but it can also be in other forms. That is, the thesis is not deleted as well, but you don't have to have a thesis to graduate, you can do something else," he said at the Rectorate, Monday (4/9/2023).
The man who is familiarly called Cak Hasan added, this policy was a reinforcement of UNESA's policy which indeed for several years had produced students who graduated without a thesis in various faculties.
He gave an example , at the beginning of last year there were two students from the Faculty of Education (FIP) who passed the National Student Science Week (Pimnas). Getting there is not easy. They must have scientific works that not all students are capable of making.
"Scientific works that enter Puspresnas are certainly not random works. They are the result of national selection and the selection is clear. As an appreciation for their work and achievements, they are not need to make a thesis as a final project, but report on a series of activities and their work. I think several other campuses have also implemented that," he explained.
In addition, several outstanding and innovative students graduated without writing a thesis. This also applies to other faculties including the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences (FIKK) whose students won gold medals in various international competitions.
Welcoming this policy, Cak Hasan held a coordination meeting with the faculty and study programs to determine the forms the form of the final project according to the competence of each study program.
According to him, there needs to be a common understanding following up on new policies in the form of UNESA policies. For example, regarding the final project in the form of a prototype or product, what semester should it start, because that takes time. UNESA's policy. The most important thing is actually how to ensure graduates have competence and can be adaptive and creative in this century of artificial intelligence, "concluded Cak Hasan. [*]
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