SURAKARTA  – The Office of Collaboration and International Affairs (BKUI) at Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta (UMS) organized a socialization event for one of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) programs, namely Certified Internships and Independent Studies (MSIB). The event, which invited students to explore the world of work, was held online and was attended by students interested in the MSIB Program.

“Students should not only learn about their academic subjects but also acquire skills, both hard and soft skills,” said Andy Dwi Bayu Bawono, S.E., M.Si., Ph.D., the Head of BKUI UMS, on Saturday (May 27).

Andy Dwi Bayu Bawono, S.E., M.Si., Ph.D., explained that Certified Internships and Independent Studies are part of a program initiated by Minister of Education Nadiem Makarim to enable students to develop both soft and hard skills.

Through internships, students are expected to gain an understanding of the real-world working conditions, so that they can better position themselves in the future. “Through internships, students not only acquire relevant knowledge but also gain work experience. They learn how to adapt to superiors, colleagues, partners, or other employees,” explained the Head of BKUI UMS.

Meanwhile, Giri Fahrezy Istighfarullah, a student of Mechanical Engineering at UMS who participated in the MSIB Program with an internship at PT. Nestle Indonesia, shared the benefits of participating in the MSIB program.

There are several benefits, including credit conversion, a stipend, an effective program, minimizing the risk of exploitation, and the opportunity to work with the best partner companies. Additionally, participants also receive additional soft skills development. “We also receive soft skills development. One of them, which I participated in recently, is the development of a global mindset,” Giri explained.

source: SUARABARU