[Unpad Media Channel] Faculty of Animal Husbandry at Universitas Padjadjaran holds a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) titled “International Standard in Animal Science Education” that is organized at eL Hotel Braga, Bandung, Thursday (1/8/2024).
This event, involving academics, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, served as a platform for discussing and sharing experiences and knowledge to enhance the quality of education in animal science in line with international standards.
In his speech, the Dean of the Faculty of Animal Husbandry at Unpad, Dr. Ir. Rahmat Hidayat, S.Pt., M.Si., said that the principle of ‘half empty glass’ in developing a curriculum, that is professors tend to focus on on students’ shortcomings, weaknesses, or mistakes rather than recognizing their achievements and potential can lead to students feeling undervalued, unmotivated, and may hinder their development.
Rahmat delivered that the principle is different from the ‘half-full glass’ approach which focuses on the strength and skills of students so that it encourages students to grow continuously and feel confident in their learning.
“On the other hand, we should adopt a more optimistic ‘half-full glass’ approach that focuses on students’ strengths, abilities, and positive potential. This principle encourages students to grow and build confidence in their learning because they feel supported and valued,” said Rahmat.
Moreover, Rahmat said that the continuously evolving industry requires academics to listen to feedback from various sources, especially practitioners who are directly involved in the animal science field.
Rahmat hopes that through the discussions in this FGD, speakers will be open about the students’ qualities needed by the industry, thereby reducing the gap between academics and practitioners.
In his presentation, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Heibl as the representative of the University of Veterinary Medicine explained that there is a correlation between animal welfare and human-animal relationships, so the curriculum being developed must be oriented towards the advancements in the animal science industry.
Prof. Bernhard suggests that Unpad follows the international standard in developing, that is the principle and benefit of Outcome Based Education (OBE), also how to measure student learning outcomes based on OBE.
This curriculum is focused on the desired learning outcomes and how to integrate international standards into the OBE curriculum. Evaluation and assessment of the effectiveness of an outcome-based curriculum is also crucial, including the development of appropriate assessment tools.
Additionally, collaboration between educational institutions across countries to achieve international standards, as well as student and academic staff exchange programs, is very crucial for improving the quality of education and research in animal science.
In the Focus Group Discussion on Social and Economic Interests in Animal Science, I Wayan Suadnyana, S.Pt., emphasized that animal husbandry graduates should possess entrepreneurial skills and the ability to create job opportunities. Therefore, it is crucial for higher education institutions to give support.
Moreover, Muhamad Domi Sattyananda, S.Pt., highlighted the importance for higher education institutions to adapt and be more open to educating Generation Z, who are more technologically literate and creative. Thus, higher education institutions must be more flexible and open in designing curricula to keep up with the times.
During this occasion, professors and practitioners also conducted discussions in several rooms to further address various industry challenges and to discuss how to prepare the best curriculum to ensure that higher education institutions can produce high-quality and competitive graduates. (release/SA)*
