Depok, LAMSAMA — The Independent Accreditation Institute for Natural and Formal Sciences (LAMSAMA) received the 2023 Monitoring and Evaluation (Monev) visit from the Accreditation Council (MA) of the National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (BAN-PT) on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.
LAMSAMA Monitoring and Evaluation Process by BAN-PT
This visitation was conducted as part of the series of assessments on the performance of independent accreditation institutions (LAM), following LAMSAMA’s submission of its 2023 Annual Report in accordance with BAN-PT regulations.
The visit, which took place at the LAMSAMA Office, was conducted by the BAN-PT team consisting of Arief T. Suryowidjojo, S.H., LL.M., and Dr. dr. Muhammad Isman Jusuf, Sp.S., as members of the Accreditation Council, along with BAN-PT staff, Novania Sari.
The activity was opened by Prof. Muktiningsih as the moderator and attended by members of the Accreditation Council, the Executive Board, and the LAMSAMA Secretariat Team.
During the visitation, BAN-PT verified and checked documents related to governance, human resources, and LAMSAMA’s facilities and infrastructure, as regulated in BAN-PT Regulation No. 28 of 2022 on Guidelines for Monitoring and Evaluating LAM Performance. The BAN-PT team also requested clarifications and input regarding the implementation of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 53 of 2023 as part of ongoing regulatory evaluation.
In addition to reviewing documents, BAN-PT raised several strategic issues, including the importance of consistency between regulations and LAM governance practices. Arief T. Suryowidjojo emphasized that BAN-PT is considering updating governance policies to improve accountability and oversight effectiveness.
LAMSAMA also presented developments in accreditation implementation, including the policy on the validity period of “Excellent” accreditation for one to two years, which is favored by many study programs as it provides space for quality development.
The discussion also covered the dynamics of student interest in natural and formal sciences programs, which has declined in several regions outside Java.
LAMSAMA explained that it has conducted surveys across universities and strengthened guidance through the MIPANET network and professional associations.
BAN-PT also highlighted the impact of the “Kurikulum Merdeka” at the school level on students’ choices of study programs in higher education.
In the final session, BAN-PT requested more detailed information regarding LAMSAMA’s organizational structure, including the function of the supervisory board, the roles of the governing and executive bodies, and the institution’s long-term strategic direction. This information is necessary to ensure that the governance of the accreditation institution aligns with policies currently being considered by BAN-PT.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Drs. Ir. Mitra Djamal, IPU., ASEAN Eng., Director of the LAMSAMA Executive Board, expressed appreciation for the constructive evaluation process.
“We welcome the input from BAN-PT, as evaluations like this help us strengthen governance and improve the quality of accreditation services. LAMSAMA is committed to continuously supporting the improvement of higher education quality in Indonesia, particularly in the fields of natural and formal sciences,” he said.
The Monitoring and Evaluation activity was conducted in an open and dialogic atmosphere. Through this visitation, BAN-PT and LAMSAMA hope to strengthen collaboration in ensuring the quality of study program accreditation and maintaining the sustainability of higher education quality development in Indonesia.
