tomorrow must be better

Q-U-A-L-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N—–E-X-A-M

It got me dizzy whenever I heard or read any news related to qualification examination. I know it is not only qualification exam needs to be passed during my three years tenure study at NTUST, but also some other requirements such as completing the 18 credits courses and some list publications from research work. But, when you pass the qualification exam you will feel you are 50 % near to graduate, and take the exam is a MUST. There are 2 core courses out of 3  need to be passed: Transport Phenomena, ChE Kinetics, and ChE Thermodynamics.  So, when the students can not pass the 2 core courses within two years of their study, they should leave the school without degree. It sounds unfair, isn’t it? I knew some students did good research work but they are forced to leave the school since they could not fulfill this “only” requirement.

And last Friday, I found myself headache just by reading the syllabus of qualification examination. Can I  make it?  That is too much you know. I felt there will be no more space avalaible on my memory to memorize all of these stuff. I wish I can tell the commitee: ‘Profs, please……I am too old to study and memorize courses, would you kindly please revise the regulation? Don’t you think it is better to make us concentrate on research work? How can we publish more if we are busy by courses and qualify exams? ‘ Self defense, huh? so..so.. Some friends said we envy Japanese students

And here I come with the plan,  a weekly study basis (*thanks to M). I will take only Kinetics as a core course this (more…)

“Mbak, susah nggak sih belajar di luar negeri kayak Taiwan?”

Sering saya mendapat pertanyaan ini dari beberapa adik kelas yang tertarik untuk belajar di luar negeri khususnya di Taiwan. Dan jawaban saya adalah:

“Saya yakin kamu pasti bisa survive….karena kita di Indonesia kita dituntut belajar lebih banyak dengan fasilitas terbatas. Dan itu juga nggak mudah…..

Saya tidak mengada-ngada lho…dan juga tidak bilang kuliah di Taiwan gampang (*kuliah di sini sulit karena evaluasi pengajaran yang sangat ketat, PR yang banyak, dan bagi saya pribadi karena….most of the exams are closed book LOL). So let us make comparison, kuliah program Master di Chemical Engineering Dept. NTUST hanya 24 sks (thesis di sini tidak dihitung). Karena semua mata kuliah memiliki bobot 3 sks, maka total mata kuliah yang harus diambil cuma 8 mata kuliah. Sedangkan di Jurusan Teknik Kimia ITS, total untuk lulus harus menyelesaikan 40 sks (sudah termasuk thesis, 9 sks). Antara mata kuliah yang satu dengan yang lain bervariasi kalau nggak 2 ya 3 sks. Jadi 31 sks bisa berarti sekitar 12 courses di ITS. Oke lah biar adil saya akan membandingkan antara sks yang bener-bener kuliah, di NTUST total 24 sks dan di ITS 31 sks. Jadi, sebenarnya kita dituntut belajar lebih banyak di Indonesia………

Itu baru dalam hal perkuliahan. Bagaimana dengan yang lain? Satu hal yang paling membuat saya surprise ketika datang ke sini adalah perihal fasilitas dan manajemen. Mungkin dua hal prinsip inilah yang membuat di sini dan di ITS (more…)