Indonesia’s Premier Competition for Success Achievers. The modern world has brought changes to various aspects of our lives, evident in things that are present in various sectors, including education. Many educational standards have emerged that aim to provide more than what classroom learning can give to students.
Previously, assessment methods were still conservative, focusing on grades, diplomas, and formal titles. Written accreditation takes precedence over the practical and applicational needs of the students. Over time, it became apparent that this orientation was no longer relevant to post-school needs. Consequently, the assessment that is emphasized shifts towards more practical aspects, such as soft skills, experiences, and the implementation of knowledge to demonstrate better self-branding.
This practical-oriented approach in modern education is crucial to creating standards capable of enhancing a student’s value and also providing insight into the skills required in the industry they will pursue after graduation. Unfortunately, the education system currently in place in Indonesia does not have the capability to encompass these values. This is evident in the predominantly conservative learning system.
Most learning processes are theoretical with minimal practical application, thus failing to provide students with a competitive edge in the post-school world. Consequently, many universities in Indonesia produce graduates with below-standard quality. To enhance the competitiveness and quality of Indonesian students, the government cannot simply remain idle. Through an institution called the National Achievement Center under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology), the Indonesian Government has initiated numerous programs.
One of its flagship programs in the academic field is the Student Creativity Program (Program Kreativitas Mahasiswa or PKM). This program took flight in 2001 as a platform that caters to the application of knowledge, innovation, and skills by every student. Since then, the program has been continuously developed and improved.
The abundance of the fields of study available in Indonesian universities makes PKM encompass a wide range of fields according to students’ interests and talents. Initially, there were only 5 activity fields offered by PKM.
These fields have been continuously developed to accommodate student interests and the evolving demands of the modern world. By the year 2022, there were 8 activity fields in PKM. In 2024, this scheme is divided into the fields of scientific writing, entrepreneurship, and functional products tailored to the innovation focus to be pursued. To participate in this competition, there are 6 stages that students must go through, including:
Proposing a proposal
At this stage, students can join more than 2 teams for the 10 branches available in PKM. Then, students, along with supervising lecturers who share the same mission focus, can discuss and design a proposal document that explains the innovative activity designs to be pursued. Through this process, students will go through the brainstorming and innovation design stages, which are crucial for forming critical thinking skills
Assessment of the proposal
There are various assessment parameters at this stage. Including the level of creativity, the aspect of the suitability of innovation with current challenges, and the intellectual challenges of the innovation. In this process, students will start preparing the best innovation designs with the best winning strategies. Through this stage, students’ competitive spirit will be shaped, thus students will be accustomed to healthy competition, which is important in preparing for future job market competition.
PKM funding stage
Proposals and ideas that successfully pass the proposal assessment stage will receive funding tailored to the needs of the innovation. At this stage, students are not only challenged to compete but also to be responsible for the planned innovation. Thus, the level of competitiveness does not only stop at the design stage but returns to fierce competition among students in implementing their ideas with good financial efficiency.
Implementation and Progress Reporting Activities
The funding provided is then used for the implementation stage. There are several PKM fields that require implementation in the form of hardware or software. For example, the PKM Karsa Cipta (PKM-KC) field requires the implementation of product forms, while the PKM Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat (PKM-PM) requires the implementation of programs that can empower communities. This stage is crucial to demonstrate consistency and positive graphs of the results of innovation implementation. Students are not only designed to be aware of obstacles but also to be good at time management.
Assessment of Progress and Implementation of PKM
At this stage, all progress and reporting from the implementation of innovation must be presented to show the suitability between the design and the sustainability of future innovations. This stage will determine whether a team can advance to the peak competition, namely PIMNAS. To face the high level of competition, students will prepare the best reports and anticipate all the challenges that will come at the competition peak.
Peak Innovation Competition in the title of PIMNAS
Each stage of PKM must make a final report containing progress, suitability, and impact of the innovations made in solving existing problems. Then, this report will be the basis for judging which team will advance to the peak competition called PIMNAS. At this stage, there is a more complex composition of assessment than before, such as product presentations and forum discussions. This moment becomes the determinant of a team’s victory, so it can be ensured that all teams have shown good performance and are ready to face high competition at the national level.
PKM has a high level of competitiveness and complexity. From early proposal drafting up to the final PIMNAS process, a series of increasingly challenging assessment stages encourages universities to form an ecosystem that focuses more on fostering students to address challenges in more specific fields from the early stages of their studies. Through PKM, students will be encouraged and guided to produce an output in the form of innovative products or project development designs. This is important because, through the PKM selection process, students will be required to focus on one field and problem.
One example of an innovative product raised in the PIMNAS event through PKM is a technology product for education with artificial intelligence that has a higher level of focus and professionalism. The work was titled “E-BANYU (EDUCATION AGAINST MOSQUITOES): EMPOWERMENT OF YUKARTUNI ORPHANAGE CHILDREN WITH THE APPLICATION OF AUTO SKILL (AUTO MOSQUITO KILLER)”, a project led by a student named Siti Rabiatul Adawiyah. The deep experience gained by Siti through PKM will encourage interest, understanding, and higher skills in a field that forms the basis for subsequent career decisions. Thus, it will be easier to determine career focus and further education.
This competition is considered capable of preparing students to face the high level of competition in the industry and preparing them for greater demands mentally. Some aspects developed through this activity are critical thinking, management, and communication skills. These aspects are very necessary, both in the industry and in higher knowledge development. This is what then gives students an exclusive understanding. Moreover, the competitive ecosystem that students go through in PKM provides readiness at a higher level of complexity after graduating.
The long process of PKM to PIMNAS provides a lot of learning and experience that can be used for the post-campus world. This is evidenced by the many PIMNAS alumni who have successful careers after graduation. Among them is Siti Rabiatul Adawiyah, whose name was mentioned above. PIMNAS became one of the bridges for her to obtain a full scholarship from the Indonesian government in the field of education. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Computer Science at the best university in Indonesia, Universitas Indonesia (UI).
In addition to Siti’s successful journey, there are still many inspiring stories about how students who have participated in PKM have succeeded in their careers. There is the story of Aditia Pramudia Sinandar, who was a student who participated in PIMNAS and is now successfully a Research Assistant at Prospect Institute. There are many other stories, which show the importance of PKM as a competition that provides many skills in determining students’ future career success.
The journey of PIMNAS alumni in determining the sustainability of their future after graduation is a depiction of how competition can shape decisions for students. Basically, education in the campus and school world alone will not be enough to shape a student ready to face future challenges. Therefore, PKM has successfully answered the complexity of future challenges. By looking at the world more closely, daring to take part in change, thinking in a solution-oriented mindset, and cooperation that makes PKM more than just a competition but a stepping stone to a better career.
By: Yunita Erniajan
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