Universitas Gadjah Mada is a national university which was officially established on December 19, 1949. In addition, Universitas Gadjah Mada also plays a role as the executor of Pancasila and as a university predecessor in Indonesia. The decision of the Minister of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia Number 232/U/2000 concerning guidelines for the Preparation of Higher Education Curriculum and Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes and the Decision of the Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada Number 80/P/SK/PD/2001 dated October 1, 2001 concerning Guidelines for the Preparation of Higher Education Curriculum and Undergraduate Programs for Study Programs at Universitas Gadjah Mada, stated that Universitas Gadjah Mada is a higher education institution that provides academic and professional education programs.
Before the issuance of Rector Regulation Number 518/P/SK/HT/2008, diploma programs were one type of education that was included within the Faculty. However, based on the Rector Regulation, the management of Diploma Programs, which were previously integrated with the Faculty (which had an academic education pathway), were restructured into an institution called the Sekolah Vokasi.
Sekolah Vokasi, referred to as SV, is a Diploma Education Institution as referred to in the Statute of Universitas Gadjah Mada, which is an academic implementing unit equivalent to a Polytechnic that provides vocational education programs and/or professional education programs, including Diploma programs at the D-I, D-II, D-III, and D-IV levels that are terminal in nature. Vocational Education is higher education that prepares students to become educated and skilled individuals, and professionals, especially in the mastery of technical skills.
The aim of Sekolah Vokasi is to produce graduates who have specific applied skills and expertise in the fields of science, technology, and art, as well as to produce applied research and activities that benefit society.
The types of education currently offered by Sekolah Vokasi are at the Diploma III and Diploma IV levels, with competencies as follows:
The Diploma III program is directed towards graduates who have the ability to carry out routine work as well as work that is unfamiliar in nature and contextual aspects independently in implementation and responsibility for their work, and are able to carry out supervision and guidance based on their managerial skills.
The Diploma IV program is aimed at producing graduates who have the ability to carry out complex work based on specific professional skills, including the ability to plan and carry out activities, solve problems with a certain degree of independent responsibility, possess managerial skills, and able to follow developments, knowledge, and technology in their respective fields.
Based on Government Regulation No. 17/2010 on Management and Implementation of Education, the educational degree for Vocational Schools consists of: Ahlimadya for graduates of Diploma III programs, written behind the name with the abbreviation A.Md. and followed by the initials of the program of study or field of expertise; and Applied Science Bachelor’s degree for Diploma IV programs, written behind the name with the abbreviation S.S.T. and followed by the initials of the program of study or field of expertise.
Furthermore, based on Presidential Regulation No. 8 of 2012 on the Indonesian National Qualifications Framework (KNKI), Article 2 states that KNKI consists of 9 (nine) levels of qualifications, starting from level 1 as the lowest level to level 9 as the highest level. Article 5 of this regulation states that graduates of Diploma III programs are at least equivalent to level 5, while graduates of Diploma IV or Applied Science Bachelor’s programs are at least equivalent to level 6.
In 2016, there were 8 (eight) departments in the Vocational School, including the Department of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, which consists of 5 (five) study programs:
- Electrical Engineering Technology Study Program
- Internet Engineering Technology Study Program
- Software Engineering Technology Study Program
- Instrumentation and Control Technology Study Program