Depok, LAMSAMA – Following its official membership in the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), the Independent Accreditation Agency for Natural Sciences and Formal Sciences (LAMSAMA) is now intensifying its efforts for broader internationalization. This was reflected in the meeting and discussions held on Friday (26/04) at the LAMSAMA Office in Depok.
The event was attended by key figures in the accreditation world, including Prof. Dwiwahju Sasongko from the National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (BAN-PT) and Prof. Drs. Roto, M.Eng., Ph.D., as the deputy director of accreditation at LAMSAMA.
Prof. Drs. Roto, M.Eng., Ph.D. (left) and Prof. Dwiwahju Sasongko (right) during discussions
The meeting discussed various strategies to expand LAMSAMA’s international reach, focusing on quality standards in line with European standards. One of the main criteria in the internationalization effort is to meet the standards set by the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR). Evaluation and visitation are also integral parts of the assessment process, similar to the accreditation process that has been in place previously.
Prof. Roto, with his experience in accreditation, highlighted the importance of formulating accreditation standards and instruments based on European standards so that LAMSAMA could be widely accepted by accreditation agencies in Europe.
BAN-PT itself has collaborated with various associations such as INQAAHE, where BAN-PT is a full member in the GGP alignment preparation, APQN, where BAN-PT is a full member and the chair of BAN-PT was a board member from 2003-2006, AQAN where BAN-PT is one of the founders, and the Executive Board (DE) director of BAN-PT was the president from 2017-2020, as well as IQA, where BAN-PT became a full member and the DE director of BAN-PT was the president from 2019-2022.
Furthermore, in-depth discussions regarding the importance of fostering a culture of quality in Indonesian higher education institutions were also conducted. Prof. Song emphasized that the establishment of a strong quality culture would make accreditation not just a formal requirement but an integral part of continuous quality improvement efforts.
“For accreditation, what is most important is for the programs under LAMSAMA to establish a quality culture. Not just a five-year cycle,” Prof. Song stated.
Prof. Song also hoped that LAMSAMA could become an accreditation agency that practices principles-based accreditation, rather than rules-based accreditation.
Thus, LAMSAMA enters a new phase in its journey to gain broader international recognition. The strategic steps discussed in the meeting demonstrate LAMSAMA’s commitment to being a key player in advancing higher education quality in Indonesia and internationally.
Presentation of souvenirs from LAMSAMA
