IPB University hosted the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology’s Educational Staff Benchmarking Workshop Pranata Laboratorium Pendidikan (PLP) at the IPB International Convention Center (4/6–10).
In his opening remarks, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Prof Brian Yuliarto emphasized the critical role of educational support staff (tendik) in supporting higher education transformation.
“In the day to day operations of a campus, there is one crucial element that is often overlooked, the educational support staff,” he stated during his virtual address.
He emphasized that the quality of services and governance in higher education institutions heavily depends on the professionalism of educational staff. Amid digital transformation, their role is no longer merely administrative but also as drivers of systemic improvement.
“Educational staff today must not merely perform administrative functions but must become the driving force behind systemic improvement,” he stressed.
Rector Dr Alim Setiawan Slamet expressed appreciation for the trust placed in IPB University as the host. He hopes this event will generate ideas, inspiration, and opportunities for collaboration among universities.
He also emphasized the importance of the PLP role in supporting education and research. “The role of PLP is already essential, because without their support, the processes of education, research, and innovation will not run optimally,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director of Human Resources at IPB University, Prof Sri Suharti, emphasized that this event is part of ongoing efforts to enhance the competencies of educational staff.
“PLP are the frontline staff in laboratories and play a strategic role in supporting student learning outcomes,” she explained.
She added that this workshop and benchmarking session were designed to strengthen technical and managerial competencies, as well as encourage adaptation to technological advancements, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Through this activity, participants are expected not only to gain new knowledge but also to share best practices, build collaborations, and formulate strategic recommendations for the development of laboratory staff in Indonesia. Thus, laboratory staff are expected to become more professional, adaptive, and capable of addressing the challenges of higher education in the future. (AS) (IAAS/LAN)
