The Mathematics Education Study Program of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta conducted an Academic Curriculum Review on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, involving key stakeholders, including students, alumni, and graduate employers. The review served as an important platform for evaluating and enhancing the curriculum to ensure its relevance to the evolving needs of education, the labor market, and the competencies required in the Society 5.0 era.

The discussion was attended by graduate employers, including Minda Herlina, S.Pd., Vice Principal of MAN 5 Sleman, and Hasanudin, S.Pd.I., M.Pd., Principal of SMP Muhammadiyah 3 Depok. Feedback was also provided by alumni Karmawan Adi Pratama, S.Pd., Halimah Sa'diyah, S.Pd.Si., M.Pd., Setyawati, S.Pd.Si., and student representatives Ardhina Wijayanti and Kholifatul Fatoni Sholihin.

During the discussion, graduate employers emphasized the importance of developing a curriculum that responds to the current demands of schools and society. In addition to strong disciplinary knowledge and professional skills, graduates are expected to demonstrate ethical values, adaptability, and the competencies needed to thrive in the digital and Society 5.0 era. Participants also highlighted the need for greater flexibility in graduate profiles, ensuring that students pursuing non-teaching pathways still possess sufficient pedagogical competencies to teach in schools and pursue the Professional Teacher Education (PPG) program.

Another key recommendation was to maintain and strengthen courses related to Mathematics Olympiads, as schools continue to require teachers capable of coaching students for national competitions such as the National Science Competition (KSN) and the Madrasah Science Competition (KSM). Participants recognized this area as one of the distinctive strengths of graduates from the Mathematics Education Study Program and encouraged the curriculum to further reinforce these competencies.

From the alumni perspective, the curriculum should provide a balanced development of both hard skills and soft skills, particularly computational thinking, critical thinking, and the integration of mathematics with culture. Alumni also encouraged stronger collaboration among lecturers, students, and school teachers during the School Field Experience Program (PLP). Such collaboration would enable teachers to become research partners, contributing not only to mentoring teaching practice but also to educational research and international scientific publications while introducing innovative teaching methods to schools.

Student representatives expressed their appreciation for several innovative aspects of the curriculum, including project-based courses that encourage students to produce tangible products, the flexibility to choose among different Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs), and opportunities to take courses at other higher education institutions through the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program. They also recommended establishing more regular and open dialogue between students and lecturers to ensure that curriculum development remains participatory, collaborative, and responsive to students' academic needs.

Through this Academic Curriculum Review, the Mathematics Education Study Program reaffirmed its commitment to continuously improving its curriculum based on constructive input from its stakeholders. The recommendations gathered from graduate employers, alumni, and students will serve as valuable references in developing a curriculum that is responsive, future-oriented, and capable of producing graduates who are professionally competent, innovative, and well-prepared to contribute to the advancement of mathematics education.

--BL