GRADUATES’ PERCEPTION ON THE GRADUATE COMPETENCES OF THE DIPLOMA III VOCATIONAL EDUCATION OF POLYTECHNIC

Abstrak / Ringkasan

The public polytechnic in Indonesia has been established since more than 30 years ago. The establishment of
polytechnic education system (PES) in Indonesia was preceded by the needs of skilled technicians who are
capable to support the development of industries. These technicians are those who are able to work closely with
engineers and are able to translate the concepts into practicable tasks. Assessing the effectivity of the learning
management in relation to the learning outcomes achievement, graduate competence profile, and quality of
learning is a mandatory to improve the quality and relevance of the PES and to enhance the graduate
competitiveness.
Globalisation is causing changes in society as a whole and also in higher education, which is having to adapt to
market liberation and to the development of a knowledge and innovation based society. The international
mobility of students and teachers is in the forefront, challenging international comparability of the graduate
competences of the higher education. Learning outcomes is statements of what a learner knows, understands and
is able to do on completion of a learning process. There are several ways for drawing up and categorising
learning outcomes in education. Under the umbrella organisation Joint Quality Initiative (JQI, 2004) higher
education experts developed a series of descriptors, known as the Dublin descriptors. As a response to the
ratification of the International Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher
Education in Asia and Pasific, the Government of Indonesia has developed a national qualifications framework,
known as “Kerangka Kualifikasi Nasional Indonesia” (Indonesian Qualification Framework). The Indonesian
Qualification Framework (IQF) consist of nine levels of qualifications. The level 9 of IQF is considered as the
highest level of qualification, and the level 1 is the lowest level.
In accordance to the Indonesian Qualification Framework, learning outcomes of the Diploma III graduates is
considered to be achieved at the qualification level 5, or equivalent to the “short cycles” qualification of the
Dublin descriptors.
Research conducted in Politeknik Negeri Bandung (POLBAN) on the graduates’ percetion of th graduate
competence found that learning outcomes of the Diploma III graduates is equivalent to the 82.1 % of the short
cycles qualification of the Dublin Descriptors. Based on the findings, learning outcomes of the Diploma III
graduates of the vocational eduaction conducted in the Polytechnic almost reached the learning outcomes to be
achieved as stated in the Indonesian Qualification Framework.
Keywords: Graduate Competences, Dublin Descriptors, POLBAN

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