Group photo of the ITS Executive Board, PPNS Executive Board, PPS Executive Board, and The Netherlands Embassy representatives and its entourage

ITS Campus, ITS News – In order to develop vocational education in maritime sector in Indonesia, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) through the Department of Marine Transportation Engineering was invited by The Netherlands Government as one of the partners of educational institutions. This was confirmed by the group visit from The Netherlands Embassy along with several industrial and educational partners from the Netherlands at ITS Rectorate Building on Friday (23/8).

This cooperation was a response to the visit of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, to the Netherlands in April 2016. One of the points that were followed up in the visit is about increasing the human resources capacity in the maritime sector in vocational education.

The Netherlands Government fully supported Indonesia steps toward realizing the maritime axis vision. The vision is realized by the development of maritime clusters, such as fisheries, shipbuilding, infrastructure, and marine resources. Besides that, it also increased the human resources capacity through vocational training programs for Indonesia maritime school students. Another thing that is not less important is the development of a long-term map of Indonesia maritime development.

ITS Rector, Prof. Mochamad Ashari (left), when receiving a cooperation visit from representatives of The Netherlands Embassy and its entourage at ITS

In this case, the person in charge of the program is the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a cooperation program of the maritime vocational between Indonesia and the Netherlands, in the TVET scheme – Technical and Vocational Education and Training. To carry out the cooperation program, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an international tender and one of the tender participants was the international consortium.

The consortium consists of STC International (maritime & logistics educational and training institution in the Netherlands), CINOP (curriculum and education consultant institution in the Netherlands), and ITS Marine Transportation Engineering Department (higher education institution of marine transportation, port, and maritime logistics in Indonesia).

The Netherlands Embassy fully supported the initiatives between the Netherlands and Indonesian initiative in the maritime sector, including in the field of capacity building on the development of this cooperation project.

The Head of ITS Marine Transportation Engineering Department, Ir Tri Achmadi Ph.D. explained, the program discusses vocational education in the field of sea transportation, logistics, and shipbuilding. He explained that the Marine Transportation Engineering Department will collaborate with the Netherlands in developing the curriculum. The curriculum will then be implemented by Politeknik Pelayaran Surabaya (PPS) and Politeknik Perkapalan Negeri Surabaya (PPNS) as the maritime vocational education institution.

As the only higher education institution that provides maritime management learning, Tri revealed that ITS Marine Transportation Engineering Department education is bachelor degree.

Meanwhile, he reported that in the field of maritime management, human resources is also required which has the qualifications at the diploma level. “It is also in line with the direction of President of Indonesia to develop the vocational sector,” he explained.

ITS Rector, Prof. Mochamad Ashari (left), when receiving a cooperation visit from representatives of The Netherlands Embassy and its entourage at ITS

Besides, this University of Newcastle alumnus explained that the Netherlands had good experiences in the development of vocational education and curriculum. It is reflected by the cooperation with STC International and CINOP as an experienced institution in maritime, logistics, curriculum training in the Netherlands. “The Netherlands has a curriculum, but not all of them can be adopted by Indonesia. Therefore, there is a need for collaboration, “he said.

For the next stage, Tri revealed, the Netherlands and ITS will assist the development of the vocational curriculum until the accreditation. Therefore, Tri said that the Netherlands would send its staff to supervise the process later. (fat/gayatri/ITS Public Relation)