On Thursday, November 17 2022, the Biotechnology Study Program group at the State University of Malang, consisting of Dr. Evi Susanti as Head of the Applied Science Department, Eli Hendrik Sanjaya, Ph.D as Plt. Secretary of the Department of Applied Sciences, Dr. Muh. Ade Artasasta as Student Advisor for the Undergraduate Biotechnology Study Program, and Dr. Norman Yoshi Haryono as Head of the Biotechnology Undergraduate Study Program Laboratory, conducted a comparative study to the Biotechnology Masters Study Program, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Bandung. This visit was conducted to obtain an overview of the curriculum implemented in the ITB Biotechnology Master’s Degree as a reference in reconstructing the UM Biotechnology Master’s degree curriculum.
The UM Biotechnology Undergraduate Study Program team was received on this visit by Karlia Meitha, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D. as Head of the ITB Biotechnology Master’s Study Program, Dr.rer.nat. Marselina Irasonia Tan, M.S., and Neil Priharto, S.Sc., M.T., Ph.D. as a lecturer in the ITB Biotechnology Master’s Study Program. In the discussion, it was explained that the ITB Biotechnology Master’s Study Program has three areas of interest including Industrial Biotechnology (related to bioprocesses, fermentation, and enzyme engineering), Health Biotechnology (related to physioengineering, vaccines, and diagnostic kit development), and Agricultural Biotechnology (related to plant tissue engineering , molecular plant breeding, and aquaculture). The curriculum implemented in the ITB Biotechnology Master’s Study Program aims to ensure that courses can be completed over four semesters. In contrast, in Semester I students take compulsory courses and end with a research proposal. Then, Semesters II and III are designated for elective courses according to interests and conducting research. Semester 4 is the finalization of research and thesis examinations, so students are given research time allocation of 1.5 years.
The ITB Biotechnology Master’s Study Program also explained the general obstacles faced by new students, namely the lack of molecular content obtained during undergraduate studies, basic skills such as stoichiometric calculations, and basic laboratory skills (pipetting). To overcome this, the ITB Biotechnology Masters Study Program recommends that the Biotechnology Masters Study Program emphasize learning in several subjects such as Genetics, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Bioinformatics, Statistics and Research Methodology. Meanwhile, for the ITB Biotechnology Master’s degree, it is hoped that students will have acquired knowledge related to Microbiology, Biochemistry, Fermentation Engineering, Metabolism, Physiology, Organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Enzymology for the Industrial Biotechnology Specialization. For those interested in Health Biotechnology, students are expected to have received material on Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Animal Growth, Immunology and Microbiology. Meanwhile, for Agricultural Biotechnology, it will be easier for students if they have mastered Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Plant Physiology and Growth, Bioethics, Microbiology, and Plant and Microbe Interactions.
Finally, the ITB Biotechnology Masters Study Program provides tips for designing Biotechnology Masters research so that it differs from Biotechnology, Biology, and Biochemistry Masters degrees through 3 things. The first is Emerging Technology. Master of Biotechnology research should be conducted using relevant technological developments and not focus too much on conventional techniques. The second is adding value, namely adding the quality and weight of research so that results that are more ready to be used to solve existing problems are obtained. Third is Engineering or engineering (molecular, cellular, or tissue). This comparative study activity is significant for curriculum reconstruction. It is also one of the implementations of the Sustainable Development Goals in improving the quality of education in the Undergraduate Biotechnology Study Program, Department of Applied Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, State University of Malang.
