UGM’ s Delegates went to Naresuan University to join the fourth and the last Advancing University Financial Management Practices in Southeast Asia (ADVANSE) Training. The training was held in Phitsanulok, Thailand from 16 May – 19 May 2017. Delegates from UGM came from three units, they were Zulkifli (Internal Audit Office), Muqorrobin (International Office), Hesti Arumawatih (Finance Directorate), and Rumiyati (Internal Audit Office). ADVANSE training was followed by three countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand) which consist of six universities. There were Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Naresuan University, and Kasetsart University. Besides from ASEAN countries, ADVANSE training was followed by three countries from Germany (Universitat Des Saarlandes), Austria (FH Joanneum G.M.B.H), and Spain (Universidad De Alicante).
The aim of this training was to improving competences of planning in education and research. Agenda of this training as follows:
- Financial planning and basic financial competences
- Incentives and rewarding system
- Internationalization
- Additional funding sources from internationalization activities
- Workshop on “availability of data for assessing the socioeconomic impact of universities”
Financial Planning and Basic Financial Competences
Johannes Abele from Universitat Des Saarlandes explained that financial planning is to determine how an institution will achieve goals, especially in financial aspect. Financial planning activities consist of assess the business environment, confirm the business vision and objectives, identify the types of resources needs, quantify resources amount, calculate the cost, summarize the cost to create budget, and identify any risks and issues with the budget set.
We need to improve the behavioral competences for example oral and written communication, risk management, negotiation skill, valve and ethics, and strategic thinking. Those competences are very important to create a good financial planning in universities. All staffs in universities must be treated to be a good financial planner.
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Incentives and rewarding system
Lilian Todter from FH Joanneum G.M.B.H presented incentives and rewarding system. There is a difference between employee’s motives and manager’s motives for working (principal-agent problem). So, we need to know how about the differences. The motives of working are to get good working condition, promotion and career, full appreciation of work done, good pay, interesting work, job security, feeling in future development, help with personal problems, and management loyalty to workers. Those motives could be ranked by organization and be foundation to create an incentives and rewarding system in universities.
Dimitrios Doukas from FH Joanneum G.M.B.H added some cases of rewarding system in Google and 3M. All delegates focus on Google rewarding system that it is very unique and distinctive. FH Joanneum G.M.B.H has a different rewarding system such as home office, father’s month (1 month free for father), and 2 years for maternity leave for mother. In addition, to improve motives of working in universities is increasing of staff mobility (student, lecturer, and staff exchange).
Internationalization
Bettina Jochum from Universitat Des Saarlandes told all participants of training how to making network effectively. University must have a clear criteria and objectives of internationalization program and constant communication for creating network. Higher Education Institution (HEI) should consider activities as follows exploration how network could help on the long term development, providing a sustained support (Human Resource and Financing), focus the appropriate interest, and disseminate the output of internationalization throughout the organization.
Additional funding sources from internationalization activities
Roberto Escarrè from Universidad De Alicante shared experiences of funding sources from internationalization activities. Internationalization is crucial for university. Obstacles of internationalization are insufficient resources, limited experience/expertise, too inflexible curriculum to participate, limited public funds for internationalization, language barrier, and difficulties for recognition qualification. Universities could increase internationalization activities from network, partnership, exchanges program, and membership. Additional funding can be found from all sources, institution based or individual based, education based and research based.
Workshop on “availability of data for assessing the socioeconomic impact of universities”
Delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand presented information and data for assessing the socioeconomic impact of universities. We must present data of population by age group and population projections, GDP, employment status, annual average salary. In addition, we present about university statistic based on our own data such as job offer for graduates, students enrolled, total number of teacher and staff, number teacher of PhD qualifications, average age of teacher, number companies created, and university competitors.