KANAL24, Malang – Monash University is recognised as a world-renowned university and is consistently ranked in the top 50 by various international ranking agencies. The Department of Econometrics at Monash University is part of the Monash Business School. The department focuses on the development and application of statistical and econometric methods to analyse economic and financial data to generate a deeper understanding of global economic and financial dynamics. Researchers and lecturers in the department have expertise in various aspects of data analysis, including time series analysis, econometric models, parameter estimation, and decision theory.
Globalisation of the Higher Education world is a phenomenon of increasing global relations covering economic, cultural, and social change. Higher education is expected to be a place that can produce a qualified/expert workforce and contribute to research and innovation. The dynamics of the exchange of information, ideas, technology, even students and lecturers have changed the academic environment in higher education. Cooperation with renowned international universities allows UB to build a wider network in the global academic community. This activity is expected to open doors for further collaboration, knowledge exchange, and further joint work opportunities in the future.
The collaborations involve following up on potential research collaborations by conducting joint research for writing a paper with the title: “Data literacy skills for transition into tertiary education: An Indonesian context” and also continuing the Data Literacy Bootcamp for high school students in Indonesia. The implementation of cooperation between Universitas Brawijaya and Monash University is an important foothold in accelerating the achievement of UB’s vision to “Become a Pioneer and Reformer University with an International Reputation in Science and Technology, especially those Supporting Culture-Based Industries for Community Welfare”. It will also improve UB’s reputation at the international level and improve the quality of UB human resources, especially from the Bachelor of Statistics Study Programme. This collaboration will also support the achievement of University Key Performance Indicator (Indikator Kinerja Utama/IKU) as a form of improving the performance of Universitas Brawijaya.
The agreement document, MoU, between the Dean of FMIPA UB and Dean of Faculty of Business and Economic, Monash University was signed on September 6th 2022 with a period of 5 years until 2027. The forms of collaboration that have been carried out in 2022 include: 1) Working on a Business Education Research Grant (BERG) from Monash Business School Project entitled: “Data Literacy: Bridging the Data Divide”; 2) Academic Benchmarking related to internationalisation of curriculum and University management; 3) Designing potential collaborative programs such as research collaboration, increased student and staff mobility, and joint study programs.
In 2022, Universitas Brawijaya in collaboration with Monash University, introduced Data Literacy Boot Camps for high school students from several major cities in Indonesia. The project was initiated in response to the Indonesian Education Minister’s call for greater incorporation of data skills in the high school curriculum. Given the prevalence of data, exploration and analytical skills are critical for anyone entering the workforce. In the pilot phase of the project, two boot camps were conducted on June and July 2022. Participants of the boot camps were 100 Year-10 and Year-11 students from several major cities in Indonesia. The boot camps were designed to create a cohort of independent, data-literate students aware of the power of analytical and exploration skills. The activities focused on empowering participants towards smart consumption of publicly available data using tools widely used in the industry. A Google site was created as a Learning Management System where students were provided access to materials and videos in preparation for their boot camps. The boot camps covered basic concepts of Statistics, several important functions of Microsoft Excel, and real-life examples of the application of data. The post-test results shows that the understanding of basic statistical concepts and data analysis skills of the participants significantly improved as well as their basic Excel skills. The feedback from teachers also show that the program had positively influenced learning and teaching in the classroom. The boot camps enhance Indonesian high-school students’ professional growth and personal development toward future technical careers.
Guest lectures by Professor Robert Brooks in Econometrics subject on Digital Transformation and Data Visualisation in September and October 2023 were another form of collaboration with Monash Business School. Another was Dr Hamza Hanbali, lecturer in Actuarial Science, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics, who guest lectured on Stochastic Mortality for Life Insurance for Actuarial study program, also in September and October 2023.
The collaboration of academics from Universitas Brawijaya and Monash University benefits from cross-linking the cultural understanding of the needs of students, teachers and stakeholders. As a result of the program, Monash Business School and Universitas Brawijaya have established closer ties through a Memorandum of Understanding. This provides long-term opportunities for future collaborations, not just in the area of teaching but also in research.
As an international community outreach program, the boot camps have created long-term opportunities for expansion in other cities in Indonesia. Several schools from different regions in Indonesia have expressed an interest in participating in future boot camps. A second iteration of the program is planned for November 2023.
