Depok-Padang Wicaksono, S.E., Ph.D., was elected as Director of the Universitas Indonesia (UI) Vocational Education Program for the 2022 – 2026 period. Currently, Padang serves as Deputy Director of Education, Research, and Student Affairs at the UI Vocational Education Program. He went through the assessment process in front of the Rector of UI Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., University Secretary, and Vice Chancellors, which was held on Monday (8/11) at 13.00 Indonesia Western Time online, and broadcast through the UI Youtube channel and UI Teve. Padang Wicaksono was chosen after winning over other candidates, dr. Firman Zulkifli Amin, B.Med.Sc., S.Ked., Ph.D.
Padang Wicaksono is a lecturer at the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia. He has experience as a guest lecturer for three months at the Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University (2012). In addition, he has also joined the Executive Education Program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government-Indonesia Program as a facilitator during September-October 2013.
According to Padang Wicaksono, the vocational work program will respond to and answer the challenge of strengthening the role of Vocational Education in the transformation of UI towards an Entrepreneurial University that is nationally minded, tolerant, and inclusive. To realize its vision and mission, Padang Wicaksono designed three priority programs, namely the type A priority program, the type B program, and the sustainable work program. In the type A priority program, he said that it must be completed by 2022, namely meeting the minimum adequacy of the number of homebaselecturers for 9 study programs and the transformation of financial management to a surplus. Then the type B priority program is related to the quality of study programs, which is targeting seven Associate Degree study programs that have superior accreditation that can contribute to strengthening the quality of graduates and study programs at UI.
The next program is a sustainable work program called Panca Bakti Vokasi, which includes opening up all the potential and talents of students by optimizing the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka scheme; optimize the capacity of human resources, both lecturers and education staff, especially for lecturers by strengthening and downstreaming research and community service with the aim of contributing to solving the nation’s problems; trying to establish an acceptance posture (related financing) that is healthy and sustainable.
“We will restructure the Special Work Unit, the first for intellectual assets, namely the rebranding of Vocational Institute (Lembaga Vokasi) to become Vocational Corporation (VCorp). Meanwhile, for physical assets in UI Vocational, we will empower Cooperatives again. Furthermore, expanding research with a balance of community service which brings the role of vocational closer to serving the community needs. Lastly, in accordance with the spirit of Entrepreneurial University, it is committed to strengthening and accelerating the creation of green and smart campuses,” he said.
Currently, Padang Wicaksono is focusing his research on labor economics, industrial relations, population economics, and development economics. He earned a bachelor’s degree at UI, and a Ph.D in Labor Economics at the University of Tokyo.
Through a series of missions and strategies prepared by Padang Wicaksono as Director of the UI Vocational Education Program for the period 2022 – 2026, UI Vocational Education Program will be able to navigate towards a competitive, inclusive, prosperous, and dignified Vocational School during the “Adaptation of New Habits” to strengthen the role and UI reputation.
