Surakarta (11/09) – The Consortium of Research and Community Service Institutions (LPPM) of Muhammadiyah Aisyiyah Universities (PTMA) held a work program evaluation for 2023/2024. This evaluation was conducted to improve the effectiveness of research, community service, and publication programs by universities under PTMA. The event was attended by representatives from various PTMA member universities throughout Indonesia to evaluate the implementation of work programs and develop strategic plans for 2025.

The four-day meeting began with the KKN Mas Expo in Sukoharjo Regency and ended with coordination meetings and work program evaluations. One of the main focuses of this evaluation is collaboration in research, community service, and scientific publications among PTMA member universities, as well as strengthening the role of PTMA in improving academic quality and innovation.

During the evaluation session, the research and publication collaboration, which has been running since January 2024, faced several challenges, especially regarding active participation from various PTMA regions. The Consortium noted the need for increased synergy between universities to achieve more significant research outputs, both at the national and international levels. In the follow-up plan, there will be more intensive socialization and research assistance starting in December 2024, focusing on improving the quality of publications and patents.

The KKN Mas program, which was implemented in March 2024, was one of the flagship programs of the LPPM-PTMA Consortium that was evaluated. Although the program was well implemented, the evaluation showed a need to strengthen the recruitment system for participants and make KKN a compulsory course in all Muhammadiyah Aisyiyah Universities.

International KKN has been prepared to be implemented in several countries, including Malaysia and Cambodia. However, implementing this program still faces the challenge of participation from all Muhammadiyah Aisyiyah Universities. The Consortium is committed to expanding the International KKN program by 2025 and making it mandatory for all HEIs.

The Consortium noted the need for a more structured lecturer research roadmap. Proposal mentoring and socialization will be conducted online to ensure all lecturers have access to guidance in preparing quality research proposals.

The program to increase citations among PTMA lecturers was also highlighted in this evaluation. Citation among lecturers in PTMA is expected to be mandatory, given the vital contribution of citations in the accreditation process and performance assessment of scientific publications. The Consortium plans to organize training and mentoring to increase citations among PTMA lecturers in the coming years.

In 2025, the work plan of the LPPM PTMA Consortium includes international research collaboration, implementation of KKN Mas in various parts of Indonesia, and implementation of International KKN in Singapore in July-August 2025. In addition, the Consortium will also hold a National Conference to coincide with the opening of KKN Mas at Muhammadiyah Riau University in August 2025.

The event closed with a wrap-up session on Thursday, September 12, 2024, with participants agreeing to continue strengthening collaboration between PTMAs to improve the quality of research and community service. The Consortium also affirmed its commitment to support small universities by implementing area-based mentoring programs. With this comprehensive evaluation, hopefully, PTMA can continue to innovate and make a real contribution to the development of science, technology, and the welfare of the ummah.