The Food Technology Study Program of the Sumatra Institute of Technology (PSTP ITERA) conducted an evaluation of the curriculum and final project implementation by inviting Prof. Dr. Ir. Feri Kusnandar, M.Sc., an expert from LPPM IPB University, and Mr. Compyang Gede Waisnawa, Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) of PT. Louis Dreyfus Company, who has gained an overview of the performance of PSTP ITERA students through the MBKM internship program. The event was held on Monday, 24 October 2022 via zoom meeting. The event was held with the aim of evaluating the curriculum currently running at PSTP ITERA and further designing the mechanism for implementing the final projects to be carried out by PSTP ITERA.
The event began with a presentation of the PSTP courses under the MBKM curriculum by Ms. Amalia Wahyuningtyas, S.Si., M.Sc., coordinator of PSTP ITERA. The event continued with Ms. Hesti Ayuningtyas Pangastuti, S.T.P., M.Sc., who presented the plan for implementing final projects, especially those carried out outside the laboratory, such as cooperation with MSMEs. Mr. Syahrizal Nasution, S.Pt., M.Si., who serves as the Study Program Quality Control Group (GKMP), continued with an explanation of the tracer study and graduate user survey.
The event continued with an evaluation by Mr. Compyang as a user of PSTP ITERA graduates. He explained that PT. LDC engages PSTP students or graduates through internship and internship programs. For the MBKM internship program, PT. LDC has opened two internship periods to date. What must be evaluated from the internship program is the students’ readiness of knowledge, curiosity, initiative, and sufficient psychological readiness to survive in the industrial world, because so far a significant difference has been seen between the first and second period interns. For the internship program targeting PSTP graduates, students must have high adaptability because there is still a tendency for attitudes carried over from the campus environment. PT. LDC also opens opportunities to cooperate with PSTP ITERA in creating research-related programs.
The second evaluation was delivered by Mr. Feri Kusnandar, focusing on curriculum development. The percentage composition of courses at PSTP should refer to the PATPI standard (2022). For the internship program converted into 20 credits, he suggested dividing the credits according to the subject topics, and some credits can be directed to the final project. As for the final project, there is basically no specific calculation regarding the minimum analysis for an undergraduate thesis, but there must be problem solving in completing the final project. The thesis should be designed so that it can be completed within one semester. In addition, he suggested that a thesis can also be designed from student internships, the Student Creativity Program (PkM), and competitions that take a considerable amount of time can be claimed as a final project.
After receiving various inputs from the relevant experts, the PSTP teams will design a plan that can accommodate students’ needs, especially in the MBKM program.
