Implementasi Program Pertukaran Mahasiswa Merdeka Inbound dalam Mengembangkan Soft Skill Mahasiswa (Studi Kasus di Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik Universitas Sumatera Utara)

Abstract

Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) is a strategic policy of the Indonesian government that provides opportunities for students to develop competencies outside their study program. One of the programs in MBKM is the inbound independent student exchange, where students from various universities in Indonesia can study for one semester at the receiving university. The main objective of this program is to develop various important soft skills, such as communication skills, leadership, teamwork, and adaptability. The implementation of the Merdeka Inbound Student Exchange Program will be reviewed effectively whether it can develop student soft skills at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of North Sumatra. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the Merdeka Inbound Student Exchange program in developing students' soft skills at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of North Sumatra. The research method used in this research is qualitative with a case study approach. Data collection is done through interviews, observations, and documentation studies. The data were analyzed qualitatively using the indicators of the implementation model of David C. Korten which includes three elements, namely, the program, the implementing organization, and the target group. The results of this study indicate that the implementation of the inbound independent student exchange program at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences has contributed significantly in developing various student soft skills, such as effective interpersonal communication skills, solid teamwork skills, critical and creative thinking skills in solving problems, as well as leadership and initiative. The development of these soft skills occurs through various activities in the program, such as interdisciplinary lectures and socio-cultural activities such as the archipelago module involving inbound exchange students. However, there are still some obstacles in the implementation of the program, such as adjustments to the curriculum and learning plans between study programs, socialization and coordination that are not optimal for inbound students and the lack of student participation and support and guidance from lecturers in the archipelago module activities.