MUHAMMADIYAH.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Majlis of Education, Research, and Development (Diktilitbang) of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah conducted a webinar for Muhammadiyah-Aisyiyah Higher Education (PTMA) on Thursday (21/5). Discussing “Strategies of PTMA Existence in the Midst of the COVID-19 Anomaly: Between Uncertainty and Excellence,” keynote speakers of the webinar were General Chairman of Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister of the Republic of Indonesia Muhadjir Effendy, and Head of Diktilitbang Lincolin Arsyad.
Joined by 700 participants, the webinar also presented best practices of COVID-19 mitigation strategies of six Muhammadiyah-Aisyiyah Higher Education institutions.
“We cannot foresee when the COVID-19 pandemic will end so that we should prepare to confront multifaceted possibilities and changes. Muhammadiyah, particularly the PTMA, has to make a first move,” declared Prof. Lincolin.
He mentioned essential strategies for the PTMA such as consolidating, enhancing human resources, strengthening distance learning, improving facilities, and evaluating less competitive study programs. “In the future, we need quality human resources who can adapt to the need of the times,” declared Prof. Lincolin.
Meanwhile, Prof. Muhadjir Effendy contended that the COVID-19 condition obliquely leads all elements to get accustomed to living in the era of 4.0. “All PTMA institutions should rapidly collaborate and adjust to learning 4.0,” he advised.
The PTMA should explore paradigms of students who have possessed job skills so that they can become reliable employers. “Indeed, the PTMA may not overlook Program of Religious Studies since students should have double skills so that they do not merely rely on a certain job or profession,” stated Prof. Muhadjir.
Furthermore, Haedar Nashir insisted leaderships of the PTMA to foster their social assets as an organizational ethos, a modern ethos, and social trust. Having skills, prioritizing a leadership ethos, and diminishing a power ethos can become answers to this era.
“People can shift because of wealth and power. Fasting teaches us to be human beings who recognize our limits. This notion should be engaged in the PTMA leadership,” he ended.