TRACER STUDY AS A TOOL IN UP-DATING PUBLIC HEALTH CURRICULUM: Tracer Study f Faculty Public Health UI 2003, 2006 and 2008 * Sandra Fikawati and Ahmad Syafiq University f Indnesia ABSTRACT In Indnesia, academic effrts related t link between higher educatin and emplyment has nt been paid sufficient attentin. A cntinuus attentin regarding the link and relatinship between higher educatin s visin and changes that ccurred in the wrking and industrial wrld shuld be emphasized. In this regard, Tracer Study, a study btaining infrmatin frm graduates culd prvide useful infrmatin t higher educatin institutin and stakehlders abut its graduates and emplyment situatin.. In rder t develp up-dated curriculum match with graduates emplyment, wrk, and cmpetencies needed Faculty f Public Health University f Indnesia (FPHUI), as a public health academic leading sectr in Indnesia, was cnducted tracer studies regularly (FPHUI s tracer study 2003, 2006 and 2008). Design f the study was varied depend n the study bjectives. T gather infrmatin regarding graduates current activities, emplyment and wrk, a quantitative study using multimde tracking appraches (mail, e-mail, telephne, fax, and direct meeting) was cnducted amng FPHUI graduates frm 1993-2002 chrts (FPHUI s Tracer Study, 2003) and frm 2000-2006 chrts (UI s Tracer Study, 2008). A study aimed at digging infrmatin abut graduates skills and cmpetencies frm emplyers perspective was cnducted by qualitative apprach (FPHUI s Tracer Study 2006). It was surprisingly fund that ability n theretical knwledge was exceeding the demand, n the ther hand leadership, rganizatinal management, cmmunicatin skills, English, and teamwrk was belw demand and need imprvement. It is recmmended t cnduct tracer study peridically t btain up-dated infrmatin n transitin and labr market signal as well as infrmatin n sme aspects f learning prcess. Benefit f tracer study related t alumni cntact shuld be incrprated as a basis fr regular cntact t maintain mutually beneficial relatinship between alumni and faculty. Imprtant infrmatin such as the need f generic cmpetencies and utside class learning experiences shuld be cnsidered in develping curriculum and hidden curriculum. * Presented in 12th Wrld Cngress On Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey, 27 April-1 Mei 2009
Intrductin Nwadays tracer study has been a requirement t accreditatin f universities in Indnesia. The inclusin f tracer study as ne f the requirements f the university accreditatin has increased interests tward the relatinship between higher educatin and wrk. Tracer study, a study t trace alumni r alumni survey, can prvide imprtant infrmatin f university develpment that has a rle as a tl t evaluate relevancy between high educatinal institutin and wrld f wrk, culd give useful cntributin t lecturers and administratrs t increase wrk perfrmance, and als give input t parents in mnitring the educatin f their children (Schmburg, 2006). Interpretatin f tracer study result as a cnnectr between high educatin and wrld f wrk needs a cmprehensive knwledge f the relatin between them. Teichler (2007) indicated perspective abut the imprtance f knwledge acquired in high educatinal institutin and knwledge that will be used at wrld f wrk. In this case, it is a knwledge gaining directly in higher educatin institutin in relatin with jb descriptin at wrld f wrk. This perspective includes analysis the prperness f the cmpetence gained frm high educatinal institutin and jb requirement, and als needs t revise the curriculum. 1
Latest issues in this perspective dmain include arguments between generic high educatinal institutin graduates versus the specific ne. Als the questins abut the needs f graduates that wrk-ready r training-ready ; D technical and specific educatin shuld be implemented at high educatinal institutin r at wrk institutin? The issues abut the imprtance t prepare graduates that have entrepreneurship as an alternative jb fr graduates als included in this perspective. But, the main issue in knwledge and wrk perspective that becmes a trend is the needs t prvide high educatinal graduates with cmpetency beynd systematic cgnitive knwledge. In ther wrds, we need t prvide high educatinal graduates with many skills beside knwledge and skills in their majr that is by increasing their sft-skills. It is knwn that in wrld f wrk the success f a persn is determined by his/her sft-skills rather than cgnitive aspect and the specific technical skills in his/her majr. Other issue that als ccurs in this perspective is qualificatin functin in high educatinal institutin and its interactin with fast change in knwledge, science and technlgy. The mre bslete f knwledge and the ccurrence f new knwledge indicated the imprtance t high educatinal institutin t prepare their graduates t always be ready, r in ther wrds, lifelng learning, includes skills t vercme the limitatin f knwledge. 2
T assess success rate f an educatin and get input t patched up the curriculum, Faculty f Public Health University f Indnesia (FKMUI) did sme tracer studies. FKMUI Tracer Study I has been dne in 2003 (Fikawati and Syafiq, 2003). This tracer study cvered regular Faculty f Public Health graduates frm 1993 t 2002. FKMUI Tracer Study II has been implemented in 2006 t discver aspects that have nt been cvered in Tracer Study I, such as perceptin f the users t the cmpetence f graduates, graduates perceptin n relevancy between study prcess in FKMUI and cmpetency at the wrld f wrk, and the satisfactry f the users t the study quality in FKMUI (Syafiq and Fikawati, 2007). FKM Tracer Study II was a qualitative study. The third tracer study invlving FKMUI graduates implemented in 2008 alng with university level tracer study, which is Tracer Study UI 2008 (Syafiq and Fikawati, 2008). This tracer study implemented t all graduates in 2000-2006 perids frm 12 faculties in University f Indnesia. This article describes the results f tracer studies that used as input t patched up the curriculum f FKMUI. The bjective f this study is t gain infrmatin frm graduates abut activities that have been dne after finishing study, the willingness t be placed n rural areas, types f educatin needed, graduates perceptin n cmpetitive skills, the cmpetency gaps between educatin and 3
wrld f wrk, the study experience and suggestins and inputs frm the users abut FKMUI graduates. Methd FKMUI Tracer Study I was implemented fr 7 mnths (December 2002 June 2003) with a crss-sectinal design and using survey methd. The study has been dne t 423 FKMUI Regular Prgram alumni that graduated in the year 1993 t 2002. The subject f the study is 262 alumni, and the data cllected using self administered questinnaire. Respndents tracked using multi mde methd which were direct meeting, cntacted by phne, letter and e-mail after direct cntact with alumni. FKMUI Tracer Study II was a qualitative study using indepth interview that has been dne in September t Nvember 2006. The study subjects are FKMUI graduates and their emplyers. The graduates are purpsively chsen frm 2000-2004 alumni and have at least 1 year wrk experience. The emplyers are alumni s emplyer that willing t participate in this study. Graduates categrized based n the wrld f wrk with ttal subject f 24 alumni. Data was analyzed based n the main theme which is wrk experience after graduated (jb-seeking, mbility and dinamycs), study experience at FKMUI, emplyers pinin n wrk perfrmance f FKMUI graduates, interactin with wrk partners f FKMUI alumni, and pinin n wrk perfrmance f the FKMUI alumni. 4
Infrmatin abut next FKMUI alumni gained frm Tracer Study UI that implemented n September 2007 t May 2008. This crss-sectinal study design implemented t all Regular Prgram UI graduates frm 2000-2006. Sampling has been dne randmly t data list f 17.298 2000-2006 graduates. 939 target respndents tracked using multi mde methd. 858 respndents were interviewed r filled the questinnaire (respnse rate is 91.7%), then analyzed quantitatively. Gd respnse frm alumni n Tracer Study shwed that regular cntact with alumni gave advantages t bth sides. Tracer study als a medium t increase cnnectivity and cntact between alumni and their universities. Samples frm each faculty have been taken prprtinally with ttal graduates frm that perid. Frm 425 FKMUI alumni, 20 graduates have been chsen as samples fr this study. Result and Discussin Analysis has been dne based n the infrmatin f quantitative studies (FKMUI Tracer Study I and Tracer Study UI) n the activities after graduatin, graduates willingness t be placed in rural area, type f educatin needed, perceptin n cmpeting skills, the cmpetency gaps, and study methd. Other infrmatin are study experience, and the pinin f graduates emplyers n graduates cmpetency (hard-skills and sft-skills), satisfactry n graduates wrk perfrmance, pinin t increase graduates wrk perfrmance, and pinin t 5
patched up the study prcess were taken frm qualitative study (FKMUI Tracer Study II). The table belw infrms activities that have been dne by graduates after finishing study at FKMUI reprted by quantitative studies. Variables Duratin f seeking emplyment Activities after finishing study Reasns t cntinue study Willingness t be placed in rural areas Perceptin n cmpeting skills Perceptin n needs n educatin type Cmpetency gaps Imprtant learning experience Tracer Study I FKMUI (2003) Tracer Study UI (2008) Means (mnths) 7,0 Means (mnths) 5,0 Wrk 80,9 Wrk 95,5 Cntinue study 19,1 Cntinue study 4,5 Lack f knwledge 43,1 Lack f knwledge 37,3 Chance 35,3 Chance 25,8 Needed by wrld f 13,7 Needed/Required by 41,8 wrk wrld f wrk Willing t 58,8 Willing t 68,2 Nt willing t 41,2 Nt Willing t 31,8 Able 72,1 Able 77,2 Nt able 27,9 Nt able 22,8 Specific 78,2 Specific 77,3 Generic 21,8 Generic 22,7 Inter-sectr relatinship 52,8 Cmmunity empwerment 40,9 Organizatin Organizatin 44,2 management management 36,4 Specific practical Specific practical 35,4 knwledge knwledge 40,9 English language 40,8 English language 27,3 Leadership 38,5 Leadership 36,4 Verbal cmmunicatin 29,0 Verbal cmmunicatin 18,2 Written cmmunicatin 29,0 Written cmmunicatin 27,3 Study in class 90,9 Study in labratry 90,9 Study in cmmunity 100,0 Study in gvernment institutin 100,0 Study in rganisatin 100,0 Study in scial interactin 100,0 Independent study 95,5 6
The table abve shws that wrk waiting perid became shrter frm 7 mnts t 5 mnths. If we take relatinship with anther infrmatin which is the percentage t cntinue study that decreased frm 2003 t 2008, it is analysed pssibility that wrk waiting perid have relatinship with cntinue study. In 2003, graduates chse t cntinue study rather than wrk because f the difficulty t get a jb (shwn frm wrk waiting perid), n the ther hand graduates chse t wrk if the wrld f wrk available. The percentage f graduates that willing t placed n rural areas increased and this shws the increase f graduates awareness t the needs f public health prfessin in rural areas, wrld f wrk cnditins in rural areas that may be get better each year, r difficulties t get a jb in urban areas. The table abve als shwn that cnfidence level measured thrugh perceptin n cmpeting skills increasing insignificantly. In this case there is a need t give infrmatin t increase the cnfidence level f FKMUI graduates because there are 20% f graduates feel they culd nt cmpete in wrld f wrk. Perceptin t skills needed at wrld f wrk d nt shw significant imprvement even thugh there is a tendency t increase f generic skills need. This is relevant t the fact that FKMUI graduates wrk in the specific knwledge field in general. 7
Cmpetency gaps data shws that there is an imprvement n rgasatin management, english language, and verbal cmmunicatin cmpetencies. But n specific practical knwledge, leadership and written cmmuncatin cmpetencies the imprvement are insignificant. This means that there is a need t stress n practical wrk training, leadership and rganisatin, and als writing practice. Study experiences Infrmatin frm qualitative study n imprtant cntributins f study experiences in FKMUI is an issue related t thinking pattern and sft-skills qualificatin that acquired frm utside f the class such as relatinship with friends, senirs and lecturers, rganizatin experiences and field study. T part f the infrmants, the biggest cntributin fr study experience in FKMUI is nt frm in-class study, but acquired frm study experiences frm ut-class such as fieldwrk training, and the invlvement in student rganizatins. These are qutes frm infrmants related t study experience in FKMUI and the high appreciatin n activities and fieldwrk study experiences.... fieldwrk study needs mre than a mnth. At least 3 mnths... (Graduated n 2001, Epidemilgy Department)...Yes, practical study, fieldwrk r cmmunity practice, thse are giving mst cntributins.... (Graduated n 2003, Bistatistic Department) 8
...What I think the mst valued in FKMUI is the experience t d cmmunity research... (Graduated n 1994, Epidemilgy Department)...I really like t be active n the rganisatin, s beside the study subjects, the ne that cntributed high is campus activity such as faculty senate, university senate... (Graduated n 1994, Occupatinal Health and Safety Department) Subjects that cnsidered relevant with wrkfield cnsist f tls subjects in public health such as Bistatistic, Planning and Evaluatin, Management, and Cmputer. On the ther hand, subjects such as Anatmy and Physilgy, and Paracitlgy cnsidered nt t relevant and t medical/clinical. Relevant subjects are subjects that culd be applied directly in wrkfield....subjects that really useful are skill type subjects. The example is when we learnt Epi-Inf/SPSS, we still use that skill... (Graduated n 1998, Occupatinal Health and Safety Department)... it is mre t... research methd, data analysis, scial criticism, and all bistatistic subjects are relevant... (Graduated n 2003, Bistatistic Department)..The ne that nt relevant, the medical subjects... (Graduated n 1997, Health Educatin and Behavir Department) Perceptin n cmpetency Highly related with perceptin t subject relevancy, graduates perceptin n cmpetency entering wrkfield after graduated are nt feeling cmpetence and lack f cnfidence t their wn capability. Part f the infrmants cnsidered that 9
public health knwledge d nt have specialty, and t general cmpared t ther disciplines. This is perhaps caused by many f alumni cmpared their health knwledge t medical knwledge.... I feel that FKM des nt have a weapn, what is FKM s weapn? Dctrs carry a stetscpe r tensimeter, What shuld I bring? The knwledge is nly n the the surface... (Graduated n 1997, Health Educatin and Behavir Department)...nt yet. S I think I am nt that cmpetent... I Knw the thery, but I d nt knw hw t put it int practice... (Graduated n 2003, Occupatinal Health and Safety Department) If we paid clse attentin, the advantage f study in FKMUI is specific nature and character f public health as a discipline which is multi-disciplines. Multi-discipline and inter-discipline ability are imprtant assets t cmmunicatin skills and teamwrk. In this glbalisatin era, ability t vercme discipline limitatins is an imprtant and highly valued ability f a graduate (Teichler, 2007; Schmburg, 2006). But the awareness n the imprtance f multi-disciplinary is stil lack amng students and alumni that wanted mn-discipline and specific skills and abilities, rather than multi-disciplines and generic skills and abilities....frm knwledge part, I was nt cnfidence and ready, because at that time I feel that my disciplines is nt cmplete/perfect... (Graduated n 1997, Occupatinal Health and Safety Department) 10
... Yes, that, because f senirs said that what we get in campus is knwledge, r ideal cnditin, but it is different when we ar in wrld f wrk, I am still cnfused, s when I entered this campus I was nt cnfidence whether I culd apply the knwledge I gt... (Graduated n 2004, Envirnmental Health Department) Infrmants als admitted that study in FKMUI gave them thinking pattern that needed in wrkfield as describe n these qutes.... I think Undergraduate study is t depvelp thinking ability, that is what I take... (Graduated n 1997, Health Educatin and Behavir Department)...I think that later when we wrk nt in the public health field, we will survive because what we learn in FKM is thinking pattern and that is the ne that useful in the wrld f wrk... (Graduated n 2000, Bistatistic Department) In relatin with unsatisfactin t gaps between substancy that gained frm campus with cmpetency needed in wrld f wrk, Kellerman and Sagmeister (2000) stated that this is caused by, firstly, the fact that high educatinal system has a distance with wrld f wrk s study success indicatr culd nt anticipate graduates cmpetency that needed t wrk (underqualificatin), r secndly, wrld f wrk may be nt rganised well s the graduates skills culd nt be tk advantage efficiently (under utilizatin), r the third pssibility is that graduates have ability the ver cmpetency requirements in wrld f wrk (ver qualificatin). 11
Emplyers pinin n Graduates Emplyers pinin n FKMUI graduates are gd in general. All emplyers/managers stated that they satisfied r very satisfied with FKMUI graduates. Frm cmpetency side, FKMUI graduates cnsidered have gd cmpetencies, means that graduates culd discuss, d nt need directin much, understand fast, gd wrk result, and mre fcus. If we cmpared with ther graduates (nr frm FKMUI) it is similar, but there are emplyers/managers cnsider that FKMUI graduates are easier t interact with wrk partners frm any backgrunds and easier t understand the tasks.... in University f Indnesia, students are trained t discuss, that is very useful... (Manager f a graduate, Gvernment Institutin)... FKMUI graduates culd directly wrk withut much directins, They are fast... (Manager f a graduate, Gvernment Institutin)... gd, especially students wh were active in the campus rganisatins... (Manager f a graduate, High Educatinal Institustin)... better that ther graduates. Understand faster. We have t tell mre than ne times t thers... (Manager f a graduate, High Educatinal Institustin) 12
Other than the FKMUI graduates capability, emplyers/managers f the infrmants als asses n aspects that need t be imprved by FKMUI graduates, includes nplanning, data analysis and statistic, real experience n the wrkfield, persnality and sft-skills (such as cmmunicatin, tlerancy, ethics, and ther persnal qualities), and thers such as activeness and initiative. All emplyers/managers stated that they satisfied r very satisfied with FKMUI graduates. This finding determines the imprtance f multi-discipline ability and sft-skills in the wrkfield.... If i asked fr input, it is mre active and has initiative... (Manager f a graduate, Private Institutin)...D mre research that make students invlved in the wrkfield and increase the cllabratin with industry... (Manager f a graduate, Private Institutin) Give entrepreneurship is imprtant. Give many ut-campus activities, mre acitivities is better... (Manager f a graduate, High Educatinal Institustin)...he/she has t be able t relate his/her knwledge with practical field,... lack f analysis, but knwledge is enugh... (Manager f a graduate, Private Institutin) Sme emplyers/managers suggested that FKMUI students get mre field practices thrugh wrkfield training, practice n the field t knw mre the reality n the wrkfield. It is suggested t increase cllabratin with emplyers 13
in wrk training, practice n the field, and research and curriculum drafting. It is als suggested that entrepreneurship culd be applied t FKMUI graduates. Cnclusin Duratin f seeking emplyment was shrtened frm 7 mnths t 5 mnths After finishing undergraduate prgram, mst f graduates directly wrk (>80%) The graduates main reasn t cntinue study changed frm lack f knwledge t needed by wrld f wrk The trend f graduates willing t be placed in rural areas increased frm 58.8% t 68.2% Arund 75% f the graduates perceive they are able t cmpete with ther graduates n jb-seeking. Accrding t the graduates, educatin type needed is specific educatin (77.7%) Specific theretical capabilities f discipline perceived ver the needs. On the ther hand, cmpetency aspects such as leadership, rganizatin management, cmmunicatin skills, English language and teamwrk need t be imprved. Study experiences utside the class such as wrkfield training, and invlvement n student s rganizatin give imprtant cntributins t verall study. 14
Qualitative Tracer Study (Tracer Study II) fund that Invlvement in academic wrk such as research and teaching experience during study r just after graduatin is deemed imprtant fr smth transitin frm study t wrld f wrk Mst emplyers satisfied with graduates perfrmance but there is a need t imprve cllabratin with emplyers n wrk field training and research and curriculum drafting. Curriculum Up-Dating Tracer study results were used t imprve the curriculum thrugh: 1. Imprvement f apprenticeship and field wrk by increasing the credit unit and designing a mre department-specific apprach 2. Develping mre specific curriculum, frm 20% department subjects t 40% department subject. 3. Imprvement in learning and academic activities thrugh strengthening quality assurance systems and initiating student-centered learning 4. Establishing tracer study as part f evaluatin and curriculum up-dating prcess. Next tracer study is planned t be implemented by 2010. 15
Recmmendatin Tracer Study shuld be referred as t imprve plicy making related t academic activities and shuld be utilized ptimally by faculty. Tracer Study shuld be cntinuusly implemented in rder t adapt t the changes in the wrld f wrk and t anticipate the labur market signal. References Fikawati S and Syafiq A. 2003. Tracer study: Sarjana Kesehatan Masyarakat Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat Universitas Indnesia Prgram Reguler Lulusan Tahun 1993-2002. Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat Universitas Indnesia. Kellermann P and G Sagmeister. 2000. Higher educatin and graduate emplyment in Austria. Eurpean Jurnal f educatin Vl 35 N 2 June 2000. Schmburg H. 2006. UNISTAFF training materials. ISOS-Kassel University. Kassel. Syafiq A dan Sandra Fikawati. 2007. Tracer study: Melacak Jejak Lulusan FKMUI (Hasil Studi Kualitatif Tracer Sarjana Kesehatan Masyarakat FKMUI 2006). Jurnal Kesehatan Masyarakat Nasinal Vl 1 N 6 Juni 2007: 252-258. 16
Syafiq A dan Sandra Fikawati. 2008. Lapran Tracer Study UI. Career Develpment Center Direktrat Hubungan Alumni UI. Teichler, U. 2007. Careers f University Graduates, Views and Experiences in Cnmparative Perspectives. Springer, The Netherlands. 17