Three-in-one education concept in Indonesia and its experience

Higher education institutions in Indonesia apply the so-called three-in-one education concept. It consists of learning, research, and public service activities. The first item correlates with educating undergraduate to postgraduate students. Students are not only taught hard-skill context such as understanding mathematics and engineering problems but also lectured soft-skill perspective such as the way to communicate with other people and organize business meetings. The second item associates with research which is mainly carried out by lecturers and professors but has involved many students in the last ten years. The last item links with public service, which is carried out by lecturers to neighbourhood area, government, industries, and other sectors. This is one positive method to make academic institutions get closer to people beyond campus area. In particular case, ITS under a special unit known as Student Advisory Centre (SAC), in conjunction with industrial sectors manage co-operative education program which involves students hence they can learn industrial and management processes. Under full support from industries, SAC conducts job-fair twice a year just after graduation days. As a result, tracer study of ITS graduates indicate that average waiting time for getting first job has reduced from six months (government standard) into less than four months. More than 80% of the graduates have worked in many sectors, mainly in relation with their studies. In addition, in case of maritime technology, the development of National Ship Design and Engineering Centre (NASDEC), a unique collaboration between ITS and Ministry of Industrial Affairs, which employs students and young graduates in ship design process, building inspection, and project management, has made ITS as the resource university in maritime technology in Indonesia.