Empowering the Independent Learning-Independent Campus (MBKM) through Campus Museums

The Independent Learning-Independent Campus policy (Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka or MBKM) represents a pivotal focus within the government's policy framework, aiming to be implemented in the realm of higher education. MBKM embodies a mode of tertiary education that is both autonomous and versatile, meticulously crafted to foster a creative learning community devoid of constraints, thereby catering to the diverse needs of students (Darajatun & Ramdhany, 2021). The MBKM program signifies an educational revolution rooted in the context of Industry Revolution 4.0 advancements (Meke et al., 2021). Its policy is regulated by the Minister of Education and Culture Regulation Number 3 of 2020 concerning National Standards for Higher Education, particularly outlined in Articles 15 through 18. It aims to incentivize students to acquire learning experiences encompassing various additional competencies, both within their specific academic programs and beyond the campus environment (Meke et al., 2021). It is designed with the overarching goal of cultivating competitive individuals. This implies the production of individuals who are not only physically and mentally robust but also possess adaptability, creativity, innovation, proficiency, dignity, productivity, and character following the values of Pancasila (Rahman, n.d.). The advent of MBKM introduces a new paradigm in the realm of education. The 2020 Ministry of Education and Culture policy, embodying the MBKM concept, is deemed relevant and aptly implemented in the current era of democracy. According to Nadiem Makarim, the fundamental concept behind choosing independent learning is inspired by the philosophy of Ki Hajar Dewantara, emphasizing freedom and autonomy. It comprises two essential concepts: "Merdeka Belajar" (Independent Learning) and "Kampus Merdeka" (Independent Campus). Firstly, the concept of independent learning implies freedom of thought. According to Nadiem Makarim, the essence of freedom of thought should be initiated primarily by educators. Such a perspective should be viewed as an effort to respect the changes in learning across educational institutions, be it in primary schools, secondary schools, or higher education institutions. Secondly, the independent campus is a continuation of the independent learning concept. An independent campus is an effort to break free from constraints to move more freely (Fuadi, n.d.). This program is significant because each higher education institution has the autonomy and flexibility to design and implement sustainable MBKM policies according to its specific needs, preparing students for a seamless transition into the workforce, also known as Independent Campus. Nizam, the Acting Director General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology, emphasized the crucial role of collaboration among stakeholders during the Education Dialogue, a part of the Independent Campus Dialog in Bali in November 2022. He said that creating out-of-classroom learning programs requires universities to collaborate hand in hand with the government, private sector, industrial communities, and media—a synergy known as the pentahelix approach. This collaborative effort aims to cultivate outstanding human resources with the spirit of independence and the ethos of the Independent Campus. He added that it is fascinating when the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program is associated with expanding the definition of learning in higher education. In this context, learning extends beyond the confines of campus buildings, classrooms, laboratories, and libraries. It encompasses how students can utilize the entire universe as a learning medium. Nizam's statement aligns with the explanation provided in Law Number 12 of 2012, Paragraph 5, Article 41, on Learning Resources, Facilities, and Infrastructure. Subsection (1) states that learning resources can take various forms, including the universe, legislative, executive, and judicial institutions, educational hospitals, laboratories, libraries, museums, studios, workshops, stadiums, and broadcasting stations. However, Yudhawasthi's research revealed that the utilization of museums as learning media in the university environment has not received full support from campus stakeholders. Additionally, archival institutions within the campus environment are not utilized as research and study facilities. Despite being similar to libraries and museums, archival institutions are documentary establishments that store, maintain, and disseminate information, albeit in a different form as they are recorded in archives. It is noteworthy that in the aforementioned law, archival institutions are not explicitly mentioned as learning resources, facilities, and infrastructure within the higher education environment (Yudhawasthi & Christiani, 2022). This situation contradicts the spirit of Merdeka Belajar itself, where Indonesian individuals are expected to become lifelong learners—individuals who engage in continuous, conscious, voluntary, and sustainable learning for personal development, enhanced competitiveness, and improved professional capabilities. The idea that education can take place anywhere is widely accepted today. In a study conducted by Falk, Dierking, and Adams, the shift in the learning perspective worldwide has led to the concept of free-choice learning. This change positions museums as places that can provide independent learning experiences (Falk et al., 2006).Museums, in essence, offer environments that can stimulate and provide excellent channels for communication and learning. Museums can be constructed to adapt to the needs and preferences of individuals and their surroundings by providing communicative and proactive learning spaces for both individuals and groups. Museums can also offer learning environments that are more collective, private, or public. This aligns with the new definition of museums issued by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) during the 26th ICOM General Conference in Prague last August, which is as follows: “A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets, and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible, and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.” The function of a museum as a space that offers various experiences in education, enjoyment, reflection, and knowledge-sharing is also a significant role when the museum is situated within a university environment. As a museum tasked with supporting the vision and mission of the university, its presence serves not only as a learning facility but also as a disseminator of scientific culture (Tucci, 2010). Educational programs within museums that leverage their collections will promote knowledge through original constructions (Kaniari dan Giannakopoulos, 2011 in (Geladaki & Papadimitriou, 2014). Learning activities in museums differ significantly from the classical approach to learning, where visitors are merely a passive group of individuals. Instead, they are actively encouraged to contribute to the reanimation of the past through imagination, sight, smell, or tactile engagement with the museum's collections (Hooper-Greenhill, n.d.). Indeed, not only collections but also exhibitions, public programs, publications, web-based activities, as well as services and facilities form a museum taxonomy capable of delivering educational experiences (Yudhawasthi, 2020). This is the key essence behind the presence of university museums, particularly in fostering a lifelong learning spirit. In the context of MBKM, the presence of a museum within a university environment inherently adds value to the institution. It can be constructed as a learning incubator centered around students, faculty, and the entire academic community. In Indonesia, university museums are currently united under an association known as the Indonesian Network of University Museums (Jejaring Museum Perguruan Tinggi Indonesia or JMPTI). Since its establishment on April 19, 2019, the association's membership has grown from 45 to 60 institutions. These institutions include not only museums but also galleries, zoos, observatories, as well as flora and fauna documentation centers (herbarium and zoology) within the university environment. These museums are affiliated with both public and private universities, each having diverse parent organizations. Some museums operate directly under universities, faculties, and even specific programs/departments. The types of collections housed in these museums are highly diverse, spanning history, medicine, ethnography, science and technology, and the arts. Furthermore, certain universities manage cultural heritage buildings, such as temples and colonial-era structures. As an integral part of higher education, the presence of these documentary institutions undoubtedly holds the potential to be both supported by and supportive of various fields of knowledge. Considering this context, this research aims to explore the potential of museums as partners in the MBKM initiative and opportunities for scholarly collaboration that can strengthen the existence of museums within the university environment. The research formulates the following research questions: What is the potential of museums as partners in the MBKM initiative, and what types of scholarly collaboration can enhance the existence of museums within the university environment in the context of MBKM?

This research is a qualitative study that explores individual or group phenomena as research subjects. Data is collected in their natural environment, without researcher interference, and is analyzed through the researcher's interpretation (Creswell & Creswell 2018). This research explores the potential of university museums as partners in the MBKM program. Data search techniques involved documentary studies, literature reviews, and in-depth interviews. Informants consist of three supporting informants and one key informant. The three supporting informants are selected based on one of several predetermined criteria, namely: 1. Museum manager from a university; 2. Museum manager from an institution where the museum is already a partner in the MBKM; 3. Museum manager from an institution where the museum is not yet a partner but has programs such as internal or external internships; 4. Museum manager from an institution where the museum has various projects; 5. Museum manager from an institution outside of higher education that has become a partner or collaborated in implementing the MBKM. The key informant is a museum manager from a university who has experience in curriculum and learning assessment and has been involved in the implementation of MBKM. Data analysis involves organizing the collected data by categorizing it, breaking it down into units, synthesizing the data, arranging it based on patterns, sorting data for the study, and drawing conclusions so that researchers and others can comprehend it (Hardani et al., 2020). In the research result analysis phase, the study employed a crucial instrument in the implementation of MBKM, namely the Main Performance Indicator (Indikator Kinerja Utama or IKU), as stipulated in the Minister of Education and Culture Decree Number 754/Pl2020 concerning the Main Performance Indicators of State Higher Education Institutions and Higher Education Service Institutions within the Ministry of Education and Culture for the Year 2020. The Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, has developed eight IKUs that will be facilitated through three budget schemes: competitive fund, matching fund, and IKU incentives. It is through these IKUs that the potential of university museums as partners in MBKM is mapped. The Main Performance Indicators for Higher Education consist of eight indicators: IKU 1: Graduates obtain decent employment, IKU 2: Students gain experiences outside the campus, IKU 3: Lecturers engage in activities outside the campus, IKU 4: Practitioners teach within the campus, IKU 5: Lecturers' work results are utilized for society, IKU 6: Study Programs collaborate with global partners, IKU 7: Collaborative and participative classes, and IKU 8: International Standard Study Programs. In this research, the study attempts to map the potential of museums, taking into consideration IKU 2: Students gain experiences outside the campus, IKU 3: Lecturers engage in activities outside the campus, IKU 4: Practitioners teach within the campus, IKU 5: Lecturers' work results are utilized for society, and IKU 7: Collaborative and participative classes.

The potential of university museums as partners in MBKM is mapped through the eight Main Performance Indicators (IKU) established in the Minister of Education and Culture Decree Number 754/Pl2020 concerning the Main Performance Indicators of State Higher Education Institutions and Higher Education Service Institutions within the Ministry of Education and Culture for the Year 2020. The results of mapping the potential of university museums as MBKM partners are detailed in the following table. Tabel 1. Mapping the potential of university museums as partners in MBKM TARGET INDICATORS OPPORTUNITIES LINK AND MATCH FOR UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AS MBKM PARTNER The improvement of quality of higher education graduates Off-Campus Students The percentage of undergraduate (S1) and diploma (D4/D3/D2) graduates who: a. Complete at least 20 (twenty) credits off-campus; or b. Achieve the lowest national-level achievement. Off-campus experience: • Graduates who obtain at least 20 (twenty) credits from activities off campus (with a supervising lecturer), following the guidelines of the Independent Learning - Independent Campus Handbook. • Activities can be combined and calculated cumulatively. Partner • Internship or work placement: Internship activities at a company, nonprofit organization, multilateral organization, government institution, or startup company. For vocational study programs with mandatory internship programs, these cannot be counted. • Research or study: Academic research activities, both in the sciences and social humanities, conducted under the supervision of a lecturer or researcher. • Entrepreneurial activities: Students independently develop entrepreneurial activities, evidenced by an explanation/proposal of entrepreneurial activities and proof of consumer transactions or employee payroll. • Independent study or project: Students can initiate an independent project (to participate in relevant international competitions in their field, technology projects, or social engineering projects) that can be carried out independently or collaboratively with other students. • Humanitarian projects: Social activities/community service for a university program or for a foundation or humanitarian organization, both domestically and internationally (such as natural disaster relief, community empowerment, environmental conservation, Red Cross, Peace Corps, and so on), approved by the university. A museum is an institution that can be managed by the government, private sector, community organizations, and individuals. Considering the partner categories, as a not-for profit institution, a museum can fall under various partner criteria. Specifically, a university museum can be associated with universities, faculties, or study programs. Student Groups • Internship • Non-profit organization involvement • Research • Entrepreneurship • Technology project • Social engineering • Humanitarian project Lecturer Groups Activity Criteria • Education: Student activity mentorship • Research: Assisting research in other campuses • Community Service Experience Criteria Practitioner • Researcher, consultant, permanent employee • Founder of an organization, creator, curator, cultural event judge Quality of Lecturers Application of Research in artworks, including: • Visual, audio, audio-visual, performances, and performances • Concept design, product design, visual communication design, architectural design, craft design • Literary works such as novels, poems, poetry, music notations • Preservation works, for example modernization of regional dance art Quality of Curriculum and Learning • Collaboration with partners • Internship • Guest lecturers • Training • Joint curriculum development The improvement of quality of higher education lecturers Off-Campus Lecturers: The percentage of lecturers engaged in the Tridharma activities on another campus in the QS100, based on the field of study (QS100 by subject), working as practitioners in the industry, or mentoring students who have achieved the lowest national level. Implementation of Lecturer Research: The number of research and community service outputs that have successfully gained international recognition or have been applied by the community per faculty member. Activity Criteria: List of activities can refer to the faculty workload activity categories, such as: • Education: being a lecturer, mentor, student assessor, mentoring student activities, developing study programs or lecture plans, and so on. • Research: initiating new research, assisting research by lecturers at other campuses, creating patented technological designs and works, and so on. • Community service: facilitating community service learning, facilitating community service lectures, providing training to the community, and so on. Experience Criteria Practitioner: 1) For Academic State Universities (PTN Akademik) and Vocational State Universities (PTN Vokasi), work as a researcher, consultant, or full-time (full-time) or part-time (part-time) employee in: • Multinational companies; • National private companies; • Global technology companies; • Technology startup companies; • World-class non-profit organizations; • Multilateral institutions/organizations; • Government agencies; or • State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN/BUMD). 2) For Cultural Arts State Universities (PTN Seni Budaya): Same as Academic State Universities (PTN Akademik) and Vocational State Universities (PTN Vokasi) with the addition of: • Founding or co-founding a company (e.g., opening a studio); • Engaging in independent creative work or presenting artistic creations; or • Serving as a judge, curator, and/or committee member for national-level cultural arts events. Research Report for Partners: Criteria for application in society: research applied or carried out for government agencies, private companies, state-owned enterprises (BUMN/BUMD), non-profit organizations, or multilateral organizations. Artworks, including: 1. Visual, audio, audio-visual, performance, and performing arts. 2. Concept design, product design, visual communication design, architecture design, and craft design. 3. Written works such as novels, poems, poetry, and musical notation. 4. Preservation works, for example, the modernization of regional dance art. The improvement of curriculum and teaching quality Percentage of undergraduate (S1) and diploma (D4, D3, D2) programs collaborating with partners. a. Criteria for Partnership Agreement criteria that at least state the commitment of the partner in absorbing graduates Can be strengthened by other forms of collaboration such as: 1) For Academic State Universities: • joint curriculum development (planning learning outcomes, content, and methods); and • providing an teaching internship program for at least 1 (one) full semester. It can also engage in other tridharma activities, such as research partnerships. 2) For Vocational State Universities: • joint curriculum development (planning learning outcomes, content, and methods); • providing an teaching internship program for at least 1 (one) full semester; • providing job opportunities; and • contributing to learning activities with guest lecturers from practitioners. It can also engage in other tridharma activities, such as research partnerships and/or providing training for lecturers and instructors. 3) For Arts and Culture State Universities: • joint curriculum development (planning learning outcomes, content, and methods); and • providing an teaching internship program for at least 1 (one) full semester. It can also engage in other tridharma activities, such as research partnerships. b. Partner Criteria: 1) Multinational companies; 2) High-standard national companies; 3) Global technology companies; 4) Technology startup companies; 5) World-class non-profit organizations; 6) Multilateral institutions/organizations; 7) Universities listed in the QS 100 by subject; 8) Relevant universities, faculties, or study programs (for Vocational and Arts and Culture State Universities); 9) Government agencies, State Owned Enterprises (BUMN), and/or Regional-Owned Enterprises (BUMD); 10) Hospitals; 11) MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium sized Enterprises); or 12) Government, private, national, or international research institutions. In Table 1 above, there is evidence of the link and match between university museums as partners in MBKM within the context of museums as institutions, student performance, and lecturer performance.

University museums are dynamic learning centers that can play a crucial role in the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program. By actively involving museums in campus learning, they can serve as ideal spaces for internships, research, entrepreneurship, technology, and humanitarian projects. Faculty members can enhance their practical skills through museum consortiums, contributing to curriculum development. To strengthen the existence of museums in the university context within the MBKM framework, collaborative efforts supporting administrative museum activities, the role and professionalism of museum management, subject specialists (collections), and the development of museum public programs are essential.