The Social Welfare Study Program (IKS) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta convened lecturers, students, alumni, employers, and university quality assurance officials on Feb. 16, 2024, for a daylong review of its Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) curriculum, as the program prepares for the implementation of the 2024 curriculum framework.

Held at Grand Rohan Jogja, the meeting combined a curriculum review forum with the program’s annual working meeting, running from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Opening the session, Rani, a representative from the university’s Quality Assurance Institute (LPM), welcomed the initiative and emphasized the importance of stakeholder participation in refining the curriculum.

She noted that Indonesia’s higher education regulations had undergone six revisions over the past nine years, though the recent changes were intended less as a radical overhaul than as a consolidation of previous policies.

“The newest regulation essentially simplifies and integrates four earlier ministerial regulations,” she said, adding that the goal was to create greater alignment within the higher education system.

One of the key discussions centered on misconceptions surrounding the MBKM framework. Speakers emphasized that MBKM should be understood not as a distinct curriculum model, but as a learning approach embedded within the curriculum itself.

While earlier implementations of MBKM were largely national in orientation, the 2024 framework places greater emphasis on international engagement and global learning experiences, participants said.

The discussion also addressed broader interpretations of the credit-hour system, or SKS, stressing that student learning should not be measured solely by classroom contact hours. Independent and self-directed learning outside the classroom, organizers argued, should be recognized as an integral part of higher education.

Participants further highlighted the need for stronger peer-learning systems within the department, including study groups in which senior students mentor junior students as part of a broader academic support structure.

Following the presentation from the Quality Assurance Institute, the program continued with a focus group discussion led by Abidah Muflihati, M.Si. The session aimed to revisit the program’s vision, mission, educational objectives, and graduate profile in light of evolving academic and professional demands.

Students and alumni contributed feedback during the discussion, alongside representatives from partner institutions and employers, including SMK Mahesa Agni, Balai PSTW, Rumah Zakat, and IPSPI DIY.

The review reflects the program’s broader effort to align social work education with changing national standards, international learning opportunities, and the evolving realities of professional social welfare practice.