The Business Management Agency (BPU) of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) – Business Gathering with Regulators and Industry entitled “Agile Performance Management to Achieve Optimum Return,” Monday, March 20, 2023, at the Ki Hajar Dewantara Building Ballroom (UNS Tower).

In the FGD, BPU presented three speakers, Ahmad Sumbalawi (Director of Human Resources 9) with material on Industrial Job Opportunities and Preparing Human Resources that Support the Company’s Sustainable Competitive Advantage; Rosanto Adi (Director of Rosalia) with material on Implementation of Higher Education Partner Internship System that Adds Value to Industrial Productivity; and Prof. Dr. Tulus Haryono M.Ek., (FEB UNS Lecturer) with the material of Higher Education Strategy to Improve the Quality of MBKM Program (Merdeka Belajar and Kampus Merdeka) in Supporting the Synergy in Human Resources Quality Growth.

The Vice Dean of Planning, Business Partnership, and Information FEB UNS, Dr. Mugi Harsono, SE, M.Sc., in his speech, said that since information technology is unstoppable and changes can occur at any time, the approach implemented in the education sector must also be adjusted.

“Agile performance management is one of the solutions for companies that are in a turbulent situation to get optimal results. Proof of agile process is the presence of a comparison process between owner, management, and employee, where all of the stakeholders can make decisions, because maybe in every line, whether employees, management, or owner have information or experiences that are used to formulate company strategies. It is on this basis that we sit together in this FGD to get experiences from speakers, Mr. Ahmad Sumbalawi and Mr. Rosanto Adi and philosophically strengthened by Prof. Tulus,” he explained.

Furthermore, it is impossible to solve problems alone in the face of these conditions, there needs to be a mutual awareness to hold hands or collaborate between academics, business, and government, requiring a close hand-to-hand struggle to reach agreements. Before the discussion session started, the event was marked by the signing of a partnership between FEB and various agencies invited to the agenda. The goal is to take and give to each other. This partnership will lead to Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM).

In MBKM, there was a revolution in the learning process, students had the opportunity to understand the real world. Students may be allowed to take courses for 3 or 4 semesters outside their study program, for one full semester they may take an internship program at the company of their selection, or to serve in the community, thus, students can gain hands-on experience when they graduate. On the other hand, MBKM also provides opportunities for practitioners to become lecturers on campus.

At the end of his remarks, Dr. Mugi hoped that this FGD activity would provide many benefits, thus, Universities will not become ivory towers whose buildings are towering but do not take root downwards or on the contrary, the government needs academic studies, thus, the policies made can have a philosophy, as well as from business experts, academics need experience and conceptual additions.

The FGD led by Sarjiyanto, SE, MBA, Ph.D., FEB UNS academics, went interactively with responses and questions from discussion participants who consisted of partner agencies for the students’ internship programs.