COVID-19 ambassadors: Recognizing Kampus Mengajar at the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka program humanitarian projects in the tertiary education curriculum

As of April 2022, various countries around the world have shown their success in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, including Indonesia. One of the COVID-19 mitigation policies in Indonesia is the involvement of students as COVID-19 ambassadors through a program called Kampus Mengajar, which carries 12 credits. However, the COVID-19 ambassador experienced academic injustice because the participating study programs and faculties did not recognize the program. The purpose of this research is to analyze the recognition of COVID-19 ambassadors who participate in the program. This research uses a case study-type qualitative research. The research setting is Universitas Ahmad Dahlan involving 70 students of the program and seven heads of faculties and study programs. Observation and in-depth interviews were administered with the head of the faculty and study programs. The results showed that study programs and faculties at universities could only recognize the activities of COVID-19 ambassador students in the program that have relevance to certain subjects. Thus, the higher education unit bureaucracy has lost its human dimension and is unfair to the student ambassadors of COVID-19. The implications of the findings of this study become a scathing critique of the fading of human values in higher education.

Introduction

Since April 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic has gradually shifted to a period of endemic as can be seen in several countries, such as Denmark, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia (Antia and Halloran, 2021; Celani and Giudici, 2022). Although the COVID-19 pandemic/endemic will soon pass, this situation needs to be studied more deeply so that the people can learn something from it to deal with outbreaks of other similar infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. In this case, the experience of Indonesia in tackling COVID-19 is interesting to study because it involves various elements of society, especially students as humanitarian volunteers and ambassadors for behavioral change to prevent COVID-19. Interestingly, this policy is integrated with the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek). Students voluntarily register as COVID-19 ambassadors, and all activities carried out can be recognized for up to 20 semester credit units. They enter schools to tighten the implementation of health protocols, strengthen online learning, and a number of other humanitarian actions to deal with COVID-19. In Beukelaer’s terms, the policy is a humanitarian project for the prevention of COVID-19 (De Beukelaer, 2021). Since its launch in 2020, Indonesia has had 113,000 students who are members of the MBKM program, becoming COVID-19 ambassadors. This policy is different from policies of other countries. Unlike many other countries, students in Indonesia are encouraged to study online and are involved in preventing the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 is mostly handled by the health department or other related parties, but the involvement of students in various countries as COVID-19 ambassadors is still rare.

So far, the research on COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian task conversion with relevant university subjects and their equivalencies in the respective faculties and study programs has not yet been undertaken. Relevant research with this theme is limited to independence to study, independent campuses (MBKM) which can be mapped to three tendencies. First, research on MBKM analyzes the philosophical concepts MBKM policies framed by Nadiem Anwar Makarim (Abidah et al., 2020). Among the body of research is work done by Muslikh, Prahani, Susilawati, and Fachrissal. Their research analyzes the MBKM policy from a philosophical basis (Akmaliyah, 2013), Freire’s critical pedagogy (Prahani et al., 2020), constructivism philosophy (Yusuf and Arfiansyah, 2021), contemporary humanism (Susilawati, 2021), and its relevance to the thoughts of Ki Hadjar Dewantara dan K. H Ahmad Dahlan (Fachrissal., 2020; Suyadi et al., 2022). Second, some other MBKM research studies tend to focus on curriculum design implementation and student exchange (Ramdhani, 2020; Andari et al., 2021) as undertaken by Mardiana and Purwanti (Baharuddin, 2021; Purwanti, 2021). Third, the MBKM research also studies a corroboration of linking and matching between the worlds of education and industry (Kodrat, 2021). Based on all three tendencies, it can be concluded there is not yet any research that focuses on COVID-19 ambassador academic injustices in the matter of the conversion and equivalencies of humanitarian tasks with relevant university subjects in the respective faculties and study programs. Because of that, this research can fill this research gap and offer a new concept on humanitarian projects (Proyek Kemanusiaan) in the COVID-19 period through the MBKM program.

The purpose of this study is to find out why study programs and faculties at universities refuse to recognize the activities of students from the MBKM programs while serving as ambassadors for COVID-19 who have served humanity universally. This goal includes three things. The first is to analyze the implementation of the MBKM program; second, to describe the internal policies in higher education units, especially faculties and study programs in responding to the policies of the program; and third, to develop a conversion model for the recognition of the humanitarian project of the COVID-19 ambassador in various study programs/faculties. The findings in this study can make a major contribution to COVID-19 mitigation involving campus-based students (COVID-19 ambassadors) around the world. The experience of Indonesia in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the involvement of students, can be a prototype for campus-based COVID-19 mitigation. In addition, the recognition of the COVID-19 ambassador student activity program reinforces the interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches, where the COVID-19 pandemic requires various fields of science to overcome it so that all recognition can be carried out (Suyadi et al., 2021).

This research is based on the argument that the MBKM program has become a humanitarian project. Students who have joined the program automatically become an agent of change through education ambassadors including religious behavior which can contribute to the prevention of COVID-19 (Suyadi S. et al., 2021; Widiyono and Irfana, 2021). Khanuja states that each time there is a health crisis such as COVID-19, the world needs the ongoing assistance of those in a volunteer humanitarian role (Khanuja et al., 2020). In fact, Otegui states that what is performed by humanitarian volunteers will have an influence on changes to the way of thinking of the global community, and this change to the way of thinking has implications for behavioral changes (Otegui, 2021). In this way, it is important to appreciate humanitarian volunteers or COVID-19 ambassadors in particular. One way to do that is through the conversion of relevant university subjects and their equivalency at a level of 12 credits from the faculties and study programs (Kemendikbud, 2020). Students who volunteer in the MBKM program (humanitarian project) as COVID-19 ambassadors should not experience an academic injustice.

Research method

Research approach

The research uses a case study-type qualitative approach. The case study is a part of the qualitative method which goes into the detail of specific cases more deeply by involving collection of information from various sources (Raco, 2010). The selection of a case study-type qualitative approach is because the research investigates an ethical problem of academic injustice experienced by COVID-19 ambassadors, in particular students who come from non-teaching faculties and study programs. Theoretically, humanitarian volunteers, especially COVID-19 ambassadors, should get an acknowledgment (Otegui, 2021), but the fact is to the contrary; they experience an academic injustice. The flowchart of this article can be seen in Figure 2.

Research setting

The research setting is in one of the tertiary institutions that have particular Islamic characteristics, such as Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD) and Universitas Negeri Jambi. The reason for the selection of this tertiary institution UAD is that it is at the top position in Indonesia and ranked sixth in Indonesia for the number of students (385 students) participating in the MBKM program as COVID-19 ambassadors. In addition, UAD is a tertiary institution with particular Islamic characteristics managed by the Muhammadiyah Association (Persyarikatan Muhamadiyah). Muhammadiyah is the oldest and largest socioreligious organization in Indonesia which currently manages over 160 tertiary institutions. At each Muhammadiyah tertiary institution, including the UAD, there are compulsory university subjects, namely, AIK 1 ‘Faith and Humanity’ (Keimanan dan Kemanusiaan); AIK II ‘Devotions, Morals and Community Affairs’ (Ibadah, Akhlak & Muamalah); AIK III ‘The Study of Muhammadiyah’ (Kemuhammadiyahan); and AIK IV ‘Islam and Science’ (Islam dan Ilmu Pengetahuan) (Muhammadiyah and Dan, 2013; Zamroni., 2019).

The reasons for choosing research subjects are as follows: (1) COVID-19 ambassador students are members of the teaching campus program, followed by all campuses in Indonesia; recruited by the ministry; and free to choose the place of implementation. Thus, not all provinces accept the presence of COVID-19 ambassador students; this is because the ministry only prioritizes schools in disadvantaged, disadvantaged, and outermost areas of Indonesia; (2) the teaching campus program is organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture so that the scope is national and throughout Indonesia is the same; (3) all activities of COVID-19 ambassador students who are members of teaching campuses throughout Indonesia are the same, namely, strengthening school management literacy and strengthening online learning during COVID-19. Details about the criteria are provided at: https://kampusmerdeka.kemdikbud.go.id/program/mengajar.

Research respondents

The research respondents comprise two components. First, the student component is a part of the teaching campus program as COVID-19 ambassadors. They consist of 70 students (36 females and 44 males). They were chosen at random and proportionately. Second, the teaching campus program leadership and program management unit elements consist of seven heads of study program (Kaprodi) and/or faculty deans, that is, the faculties of law, engineering, psychology, Islam, economics, education and pedagogy, and art, languages, and literature. All seven heads of study programs and/or faculty deans were chosen because COVID-19 ambassadors came from these seven faculties. The research object is the COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian tasks, which have been determined by Kemendikbudristek, that is, literacy and numeracy support, the strengthening of distance learning technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, and school administrative assistance. Table 1 shows respondent demographics and the activities undertaken.

TABLE 1

Table 1. Respondent demographics and activities undertaken.

Data collection techniques

The data collection techniques were carried out using two methods. The first is in-depth interviews with seven deans and/or heads of study programs who came from seven faculties, namely, law, engineering, psychology, Islam, economics, education and teaching, and language, art, and literature. The in-depth interviews focused on faculty and study program internal policies in response to the teaching campus program. In particular, interviews were made specific to policy on conversion and humanitarian activity equivalency, which had been undertaken by teaching campus students as COVID-19 ambassadors. The second method includes the distribution of questionnaires to teaching campus program students as COVID-19 ambassadors. The questionnaire was distributed to reveal their motivation to join the teaching campus program as COVID-19 ambassadors, a question of interest, primarily directed to students from non-education faculties. In particular, the questions are intended to measure to what extent the humanitarian program, which had been conducted, can be converted and made academically equivalent in the respective faculty and study program.

Validation and data analysis

The instruments in this study are non-tested. Non-test instruments are carried out without testing the research object. However, they are carried out in a certain way, especially to obtain information related to the condition of the research object. In this study, interview guidelines and questionnaires are used. Interview instruments and questionnaires in this study use content validity that has been validated by expert judgment. Furthermore, the validity of the data is carried out by triangulation. Interview data are triangulated with observation and documentation data, so that valid data are obtained. Interview data sourced from the dean and or head of study program are analyzed descriptively and qualitatively. The data collected are organized in such a way and categorized into relevant themes and then interpreted critically so that deep meaning is obtained.

Results

The results of this study are presented in three main findings. The first finding is the humanitarian project of the COVID-19 ambassador for the teaching campus program in schools. This finding presents valid evidence that students who take part in the teaching campus program are not merely seeking off-campus learning experiences but are instead becoming ambassadors for behavioral change in preventing COVID-19 (COVID-19 ambassadors). Second, the study also reveals the policy response of the dean and/or head of study program toward the humanitarian project of the COVID-19 ambassador. The second finding presents internal policies in higher education units in response to the various teaching campus programs, some of whom accept and reject completely. The third finding is the recognition of the humanitarian project of the COVID-19 ambassadors for the teaching campus program with relevant courses in all faculties and study programs.

Teaching campus activity program: COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian project

Universitas Ahmad Dahlan students who participate in the program are spread throughout Indonesia, primarily in the very forefront, most remote, and disadvantaged (3T) areas. One of the locations that have become a place of student placement in the State Primary School 106/I Paralayang, Batanghari Regency, Jambi Province on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. They were assigned to this area for three months (April, May, and June 2021). They undertook their tasks not only as students who were studying off-campus but also as humanitarian volunteers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools in poor socioeconomic areas. Their main tasks were literacy and numeracy support, strengthening learning technology, and school administration (Suyadi et al., 2020; Yusmaliana et al., 2020). But in addition, they also conducted teacher and student education and behavioral change mitigation for the prevention of COVID-19. Table 2 shows data on the interview results from respondents—teaching campus students as COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian volunteers.

TABLE 2

Table 2. Interview results data from teaching campus students: COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian project activities.

Table 2 explains that the teaching campus program students undertake not only core tasks but also behavior change education for the prevention of COVID-19. Figure 1 shows teaching campus program students’ documentation as COVID-19 ambassadors who have carried out actual humanitarian actions.

FIGURE 1

Figure 1. Flowchart of research on COVID-19 ambassadors: Recognizing Kampus Mengajar humanitarian projects in the tertiary education curriculum.

FIGURE 2

Figure 2. Picture 1. Teaching campus student task setting at the State Primary School 106/I Paralayang, Batanghari, Jambi. 2. Application of health protocols. 3. Behavioral change education in washing hands for COVID-19 prevention. 4. Literacy and numeracy support. 5. Koranic literacy enrichment (QS. Al-Ikhlas [122]: 1–4). 6. School administration. 7. Students enable teachers to teach online via zoom with a smartphone. 8. Students show a presentation material slide, which is explained by the teacher. 9. Students accompany the teachers teaching online using a smartphone.

Figure 2 (pictures 1–9) illustrates the teaching campus student activity documentation as COVID-19 ambassadors in undertaking humanitarian tasks like literacy–numeracy support, including Koranic literacy, a strengthening of learning technology, and school administration. In particular, the enhancement of Koranic literacy in photograph 5 shows the COVID-19 ambassadors writing Koranic verses from the Al-Ikhlas chapter, verses 1–4 which mean “1. Say: ‘He is Allah, the One and Only, 2) Allah to whom all things can be requested, 3) he neither begets nor is born, and 4) nor there is to Him any equivalent.” In their explanation, the COVID-19 ambassadors were teaching Tauhid (the oneness of God) as the basis for attitudes of patience and tawakal (absolute faith) in Allah so that students’ immunities increase and become more resistant to being infected by COVID-19. In the pictures, it also appears that the teacher and students are not fully compliant with health protocols, in particular the use of masks. Because of that, the student’s task is to undertake behavioral change education to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 both to the teacher and students. This proves that the teaching campus student tasks are not merely academic but also behavioral change education ambassadors (including religious behavioral change) for the prevention of COVID-19. For all three teaching campus academic tasks, it is only a context and media for the humanitarian task implementation, which is far more significant.

Tertiary internal policy responses to the COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian projects

In February and March 2021, the Indonesian government through Kemendikbudristek opened registration for the first intake of the teaching campus program. The registration was performed online via the student MBKM account.¹ Through online administration selection, students who pass the selection process will be placed into primary schools without any requirement for coordination with academic advisory lecturers, study programs, and faculties. They had to implement humanitarian tasks as COVID-19 ambassadors through literacy and numeracy support, strengthening of distance education technology, and school administration support. After that, they submit a report to the dean/study program in their respective tertiary institutions so that the humanitarian activities can be converted with relevant university subjects so that it can be made equivalent to a level of 12 SKS as determined (Prahani, 2020). However, the interview results of the faculties and study programs show differing responses.

To facilitate the ease of reading and understanding the data, the researchers have mapped the interview data against three categories, namely, the faculty and/or study program managers who reject, accept, or are in between. Many campus officials totally reject teaching campus student activities as COVID-19 ambassadors. This is because what students do in the program is not directly relevant to their major (e.g., engineering and science). As a consequence, teaching campus activities cannot be converted to any university subject at all, and they cannot be made equivalent to even one credit. The following are two respondent statements of respondents who do not accept the teaching campus program student activities.

It is not accepted because (1) the program is not relevant to what is taught here in terms of the curriculum which teaches education, (2) whereas in the third part, organizing administration is not in accordance with the graduate profile for a bachelor’s study program, (3) the activity hours over one semester, it’s such as a pity for students in terms of time, energy its is not comparable if only converted to 4 SKS (Mata Kuliah Kerja Nyata–MK KKN).” (Respondent 7)

We can convert the Teaching Campus activities with a free form method to an elective subject, KKN, and subjects in semester seven. However, we need to discuss the detail further in the process of a curriculum review. Our students, who registered and graduated from the previous Teaching Campus period without going through a university subject verification at the Study Program level, so when the students complete the program, the new Study Program will confirm to the affected students in relation to subjects which have yet to be done. For the next Teaching Campus period, students who are deemed as having graduated from the teaching campus are requested by the Study Program to report their Study Results Card [Kartu Hasil Studi–KHS] as conversion preparation when the teaching campus program they are attending finishes. (Respondent 8)

The statement of the respondents in the first category shows that in the specific study programs, student activities while following the teaching campus program are not relevant to any subjects at all, so it cannot be made the equivalent of even one credit.

While some program rejects the program, some heads of the study program fully accepted the conversion of teaching campus student activities as COVID-19 ambassadors so that it could be converted with relevant subjects with an equivalent of 12 credit. The following are several respondent statements from deans and/or heads of study programs who accepted teaching campus student activities as COVID-19 ambassadors.

We accepted the Teaching Campus student activities because it was government policy and such a pity for the students who had followed these activities if it was not converted to SKS. (Respondent 9)

Yes, for the Teaching Campus, the Study Program could accept three student activities with relevant subjects totaling 12 SKS. (Respondent 10)

All activities in the Teaching Campus can be converted to all subjects primarily the Application of Studies in the Community [Kuliah Kerja Nyata–KKN] and the Field Work Practice [Praktik Kerja Lapangan–PPL]. For the remainder, students were given an assigned task using the Graduate Learning Outcomes [Capaian Pembelajaran Lulusan–CPL] so that student competencies could meet and reach the Study Program CPL. (Respondent 11)

Whether you like it or not you have to accept the concept of task assignment for subjects which have not been continued.” (Respondent 12)

The statements of respondents in the second category show that in general, the deans and/or the heads of study programs do accept the three activities undertaken by teaching campus students. However, respondents 12 and 13 still give additional tasks so that all of the activities in the teaching campus can be fully converted to an equivalence of 12 SKS. The statements by the respondents show that the faculty and study program managers had a responsive attitude to the teaching campus policy.

Some other faculty and/or study program managers are in between. They only accept a portion of the teaching campus activities, and as a result, the equivalence is less than the maximum of 12 SKS. The following are a number of respondent statements of respondents who only accept a portion of the teaching campus program student activities.

The management of the study program can accept the conversion of a part of the three Teaching Campus student activities, one of them being the strengthening of distance education technology during COVID-19. In our assessment, the strengthening of distance education technology during COVID-19 remains relevant to the subject of Management Information Systems in particular, what will be used to support the success of learning teaching processes in the field of education. (Respondent 13)

A maximum of 12 credits cannot be given because the Teaching Campus activities do not yet meet the Subject Learning Outcomes (Capaian Pembelajaran Mata Kuliah–CPMK) and Graduate Learning Outcomes (Capaian Pembelajaran Lulusan –CPL). The conversion is a portion, around 8 SKS only. (Respondent 14)

We can accept a small part only. The Teaching Campus activities can only be converted to KKN subjects. Even then it must meet the conditions and regulations of the Research and Community Service Institution (Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat–LPPM). (Respondent 15)

We can accept 4 credits in accordance with the Study Program curriculum. Whereas other activities in the Teaching Campus program can be converted by giving a variety of tasks. (Respondent 16)

The respondents’ statements in the third category show that they only give a small amount of acknowledgment (4–8 SKS) to student activities in the teaching campus program. This has been caused by the study program not having all of the teaching subjects which are relevant to the teaching campus activities. So, if needing acknowledgment at an equivalence of 12 SKS, then there must be additional comparable tasks or other activities.

COVID-19 ambassador project recognition

The first teaching campus program intake was completed on 29 June 2021. After that, the teaching program students as COVID-19 ambassadors returned to their respective campuses. They had to submit a report and an assessment by the field supervising lecturer and to the dean and head of the study program for conversion to relevant university subjects and equivalency of 12 SKS. The research team distributed questionnaires to 70 teaching campus program students to find out and analyze what could be converted in the humanitarian project into relevant and equivalent university subjects in each faculty and/or study program. Table 3 shows the results of the teaching campus student COVID-19 ambassador project conversion analysis with relevant university subjects in each faculty and/or study program.

TABLE 3

Table 3. Activity credit transfer in the teaching campus to relevant subjects.

Table 3 explains that most faculties and/or study programs are unable to convert the students’ participation as COVID-19 ambassadors to any relevant subjects. As a consequence, the equivalence falls short, which is between 4 and 8 SKS. Although this is the case, the faculties and/or study programs provide additional tasks. The COVID-19 ambassadors are required to complete these additional tasks, and the equivalence can then be maximized to 12 SKS. Furthermore, there is one faculty and/or study program that rejects entirely the teaching campus program COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian because it does not have relevant subjects. In fact, this faculty and/or study program also does not provide a scheme of additional tasks. Of so many faculties and/or study programs, only the faculty of education and pedagogy fully accepts the COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian project. Given this, its conversion and equivalency can be carried out to the maximum of 12 SKS without additional tasks.

Analysis

Based on all three main findings, this research has provided evidence of the occurrence of an academic injustice to the teaching campus program student COVID-19 ambassadors humanitarian volunteers. This injustice is indicated at the very least by three matters. First, the teaching program students have undertaken academic tasks even more than other students in addition to acting as COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian volunteers, but its relevance is not acknowledged in the faculty and/or study program curriculum. Second, the (deans or the head of study programs) internal policies of tertiary institution units are not synchronized with the central policy. Kemendikbudristek has made a policy so that tertiary institutions can provide a solution to the prevention of COVID-19, but tertiary institution internal policies are contrary to the reality we are facing and unconcerned about the prevention of COVID-19. Third, the teaching campus program conversions have disparate equivalencies to the level of 12 SKS. A more comprehensive and detailed analysis is presented in the next sections.

COVID-19 ambassadors: Multiple roles of the teaching campus students

Based on the main findings of the research results, as shown in Table 2 and Figure 1, it is evident that teaching campus students undertake multiple roles. On the one hand, they undertake academic tasks such as literacy and numeracy support, strengthening of distance learning technology, and school administration support. On the other hand, they have also undertaken behavioral change education for the prevention of COVID-19 such as campaigning for handwashing, using masks, maintaining social distancing, reducing mobility, and avoiding gatherings (Sumaryati et al., 2022). In this way, the teaching campus students have become multi-role COVID-19 ambassadors.

The multiple roles of the teaching campus program students, if read using the critical pedagogic theory of Paulo Freire (Freire, 2008), mean all the activities in the teaching campus program are a manifestation of this theory in the present COVID-19 period (Prahani et al., 2020). Students are studying COVID-19 not from a theoretical textbook and a medical laboratory but empirical experience for the prevention of COVID-19. Learning models such as this are a special characteristic of constructivist learning, which are in line with modern learning theories (Kurniawati and Muin, 2015; Christian et al., 2020). In fact, the practice both all of the Teaching Campus program student activities were also relevant to the development of Ki Hadjar Dewantara cultural theory, K. H. Ahmad Dahlan’s theology of Al-Ma’un (Fachrissal., 2020), and Islamic and Muhammadiyahanism Subject I that is Humanitarianism and Faith (Muhammadiyah and Dan, 2013; Suyadi and Sutrisno, 2018). The contemporary philosopher Amin Abdullah also states that COVID-19 cannot be overcome by a single approach but must be interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary (Amin Abdullah, 2020; Abdullah, 2015). Given this, the teaching campus activity program has relevance to all of the scientific fields because COVID-19 not only impacts the health field but also behavior, education, social life, religion, and culture. Because of that, irrespective of how small a student’s role in COVID-19 education and mitigation, it is always related to this student’s discipline.

Tertiary institution’s policies in the COVID-19 period

The interview results data from the faculty and study program managers, in particular respondents 7–16, show that tertiary institution internal policies are not yet aligned with Indonesian government policy. This finding is very different from Murti’s research which states that the independent learning independent campus has only become one pro and con among tertiary education managers, with 80% supporting the teaching campus program (Murti and Heryanto., 2020). This is evidenced by the statement of attitudes of faculty and study program managers who entirely reject the teaching campus activities. In fact, the faculty and study program managers who accept the teaching campus actives in part or in the full do not base it on universal humanism but only because of relevance to specific subjects. In Suswanto’s politics of educational perspective, the faculty and study program managers’ policies are totally inhumane (Suswanta, 2017). In fact, according to Aini, educational policy does not support continuity of social change, especially not being concerned with disasters—including the COVID-19 pandemic—will be threatened with extinction (Bruns et al., 2019). Given this, an educational policy that does not support the prevention of COVID-19 is inhumane.

In addition, when COVID-19 was deemed a global pandemic, an educational policy was however, still local. Dissinger stated that education would be marginalized from the international political struggle (Tamtik and O’brien-Klewchuk, 2020). However, the new development trend shows that tertiary education in all countries including Indonesia competes chasing international accreditation. If tertiary institutions’ (local) internal policies have no concern for the global pandemic, it can be ascertained they will be marginalized from international competition.

Furthermore, the teaching campus policy in fact is relevant to the condition of schools in Indonesia, which in general still lack teachers. A matter which is in the same vein as Erin’s statement which shows that the lack of teachers has become a worldwide general phenomenon (Erin McHenry-Sorber, 2019). In a condition being impacted by COVID-19, what is very much needed are those providing support for the strengthening of distance learning technology. Because of that, the teaching campus policy is the right solution to the need for support teachers. Given this, rejecting the teaching campus program is the same as rejecting what is advantageous. In the COVID-19 emergency condition (Saleh, 2020), rejecting what is advantageous is the same as accepting what is disadvantageous.

COVID-19 ambassador project conversion and equivalency with relevant subjects

Behind this very noble humanitarian mission, the teaching campus program has a flawed academic bureaucracy. It is this flawed academic bureaucracy that is used by the faculty and study program managers to commit these injustices to the COVID-19 ambassador teaching campus program students. The flawed bureaucracy means the non-involvement of academic advisory lecturers in developing student creativity to plan teaching campus activities.

This has been caused due to the teaching campus program tending to be centralized being online through the independent campus account (see text footnote 1), which can be created by each student. As a consequence, students have the freedom to register themselves in the teaching campus program without involving academic advisory lecturers, even the head of the study program. This has implications for teaching campus activities not being relevant to the discipline in the study program/faculty. As a consequence, students who are not productive in undertaking tasks is because they do not use their knowledge to contribute to the completion of a task. However, three activities that have been determined by Kemendikbudristek can still be developed in accordance with a student’s discipline. As an example, literacy and numeracy can be developed to become health literacy, pandemic literacy, Koranic literacy, technological literacy, behavioral (psychological) literacy, anti-corruption literacy, financial literacy, and so on (Suyadi et al., 2021). Likewise with the distance learning technology strengthening program and school administration support. All of these can be developed in accordance with the student’s respective discipline.

Because of that, if an academic advisory lecturer is involved in the teaching campus program selection process, then these bureaucratic flaws can be avoided. If these bureaucratic flaws can be avoided, then the academic injustices which affect COVID-19 ambassador teaching campus students can be anticipated. This will become better if the academic advisor lecturer’s involvement is also supported by a pedagogical communication (Shaidullina et al., 2015) by a supervisory teacher (Guru Pamong) at an educational unit where a COVID-19 ambassador is assigned. In this matter, the academic advisory lecturer will direct the teaching campus program student to develop their task, so it is relevant to a specific subject, for acceptance by the supervisory teacher at the primary school where the student is assigned. In this way, the three activities of the teaching campus program can be designed in such a way so as to be accepted by the supervisory teacher, being relevant to specific subjects and the program design, accepted by the supervisory teacher at the educational unit without ignoring the main tasks, which have been determined by Kemendikbudristek. Figure 2 shows how a COVID-19 ambassador teaching program conversion model with relevant subjects and equivalence of 12 SKS.

Figure 3 shows COVID-19 ambassador teaching campus program with relevant subjects and equivalency of 12 SKS. In this model, before the students enroll in the teaching campus program, students should consult with their academic advisory lecturer. Furthermore, the lecturer and student jointly design a humanitarian volunteer activity program that is relevant to specific subjects in the respective faculties and study programs. As an example, students from the industry engineering faculty can develop literacy as big data literacy, the strengthening of distance learning technology to become learning technology based on android, and school administration as school administration based on computation technology. Likewise, students from other faculties and study programs can develop the three teaching program activities in accordance with their respective disciplines. These are the characteristics of higher education in Industry Revolution 4.0 (Widodo, 2019; Aini et al., 2021), which is characterized by an interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approach (Amin Abdullah, 2020). With this concept, tertiary institutions are no longer anti-reality, unconcerned by the COVID-19 pandemic but, on the contrary, becoming tertiary institutions that can provide solutions more broadly to socioreligious problems in the community.

FIGURE 3

Figure 3. Teaching campus COVID-19 ambassador humanitarian project conversion and equivalency model through the involvement of an academic advisory lecturer and supervisory teacher.

Conclusion

Based on the main findings of the research results and analysis, it can be concluded that the teaching campus policy is a humanitarian project; as a result, students who are involved are COVID-19 ambassadors—academics who have the task to perform mitigation and behavioral change education for the prevention of COVID-19. This program is open to all students from various disciplines because the impact of COVID-19 is not only in the field of health but also is also related to social, economic, and religious matters. Because of this, collaboration or gotong royong (shared efforts) is needed from various disciplines for the prevention of COVID-19. In this matter, all three teaching campus program student activities are only in the context for COVID-19 prevention. In other words, because teaching campus students are assigned to primary school education units, the relevant tasks in accordance with the context are literacy and numeracy support, distance learning technology strengthening, and school administration. However, in its implementation, all three activities can still be developed in accordance with their relevance to students’ respective disciplines so that they can be converted to specific subjects and made equivalent to 12 SKS. The failure of the development of all three activities has resulted in injustice to COVID-19 ambassador teaching campus program students. This injustice has been caused because of the flawed implementation of the teaching campus program by the academic bureaucracy. Advisory lecturers are not involved in the student activity development; as a result, students undertake activities that are not in their field. Because of that, this research recommends that the Teaching Campus Program involves academic advisory lectures so that together with students develop activities that have relevance to specific subjects and as a result can be made equivalent to the maximum of 12 SKS. The limitation of this study is that respondents only come from two universities, so future research should supplement an enormous amount of data. The Ministry of Education and Culture opened the COVID-19 ambassador in Indonesia, and a rigorous selection was carried out so that participants who passed as COVID-19 ambassadors were outstanding students.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author/s.

Ethics statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Ethical committee of Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. The ethics committee waived the requirement of written informed consent for participation. Written informed consent was obtained from the individual(s) for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.

Author contributions

Suyadi, SBS, AW, AY, and ZN: conceptualization, methodology, writing – review and editing, and validation. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Funding

This research was funded by the Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset dan Teknologi (U.12/013/SPK-PPMUPTDRTPM/LPPM-UAD/VI/2022).

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Indonesia, and University of Malaya, Malaysia, for the granted support. The authors would also like to thank the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Indonesia, which has funded this research.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Footnotes

1. ^ https://kampusmerdeka.kemdikbud.go.id

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