UNS – Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta hosted the grand final of the Indonesian Vocational Olympiad (Olivia) along with a national seminar titled “Peningkatan Kualitas Pendidikan Tinggi Sesuai Permendikbudristek Nomor 53 Tahun 2023” (or Improving the Quality of Higher Education According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation Number 53 of 2023). The event took place on November 24-25, 2023, at the Ki Hadjar Dewantara Tower UNS.

Olivia this year focused on vocational education and AI mastery to support food and energy resilience, featuring 19 offline and online competition branches. A total of 1,068 participants from 72 vocational colleges representing 16 provinces participated, with 310 finalists from 26 vocational colleges representing 9 provinces.

Rohmawan Adi Pratama, S.E., M.B.A., the Chairperson of the Olivia 2023 Committee, expressed in his opening speech that Olivia this year attracts exceptional potential from vocational students across Indonesia.

“The hope is that Olivia can become a platform for competition, creativity, and innovation for vocational students throughout Indonesia,” Rohmawan said.

Additionally, Drs. Santoso Tri Hananto, M.Acc., Ak., the Dean of the Vocational School at UNS, mentioned in his remarks that this annual agenda is agreed upon to be carried out regardless of the situation and conditions.

“Vocational education, together with the Indonesian Vocational Higher Education Forum (FPTVI) through Olivia, can jointly become a national agenda. The winners of the LKS are expected to be honed so that they can win in the World Skill Competition,” Santoso explained.

Representing the UNS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ahmad Yunus, M.S., the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs at UNS, conveyed his highest appreciation to all Indonesian vocational schools that have organized the olympiad.

“To the finalists, please prepare well. It is not only measured by medal achievements; behind the competition, there is a spirit of brotherhood among us,” Prof. Yunus added.

The event was officially opened by Dr. Ir. Kiki Yulianti, M.Sc., the Director General of Vocational Education at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemedikbudrisktek RI). In her address, she stated that vocational education involves a kind of national competition related to skills based on knowledge.

“There are two things that need to be integrated into vocational education, namely how to do and how to learn. Vocational students must also have the capacity to learn,” Dr. Kiki explained.

She also added that the Olivia’s organization is tangible proof of the continuous contribution to Indonesia in preparing future human resources.

The Olivia 2023 event continued with a national seminar moderated by Agus Dwi Priyanto, S.S., M.CALL. It featured two speakers, Dr. Ir. Kiki Yulianti, M.Sc., the Director General of Vocational Education at Kemedikbudrisktek RI, and Dr. Eng. Pipit Anggraeni, S.T., M.T., M.Sc., Eng., a Curriculum Team at the Directorate of Academic Vocational Higher Education (APTV) at Kemedikbudrisktek RI. The seminar addressed topics related to quality assurance regulations, national standards, and the higher education system.

In her presentation, Dr. Ir. Kiki Yulianti, M.Sc., pointed out that the policy to increase the number of vocational high schools (SMK) in the last 10 years is reflected in the proportion of SMK graduates who are prominent at the age of 21-20 years.

“It needs to be realized that the response to the vocational policy we are currently formulating will only be seen around 5-10 years from now,” Dr. Kiki added. HUMAS UNS

Reporter: Dhelinta FP.

Editor: Dwi Hastuti