[Forum Sejahtera Malaysia-Indonesia] Dark Academia with Mr. Rector of IIU Malaysia

[Forum Sejahtera Malaysia-Indonesia]
Sebelum Sejahtera Centre IIUM hadir, Forum Sejahtera Malaysia-Indonesia telah hadir sebagai cikal bakal filosofi yang diusungnya. Keprihatinan terhadap berbagai penyimpangan pada institusi pendidikan tinggi kerap menjadi bahan diskusi. Dari forum inilah, para penggiatnya mencetuskan bahwa sejatinya para akademisi harus menjadi murabbi; tidak hanya mencerdaskan akal, tetapi juga melembutkan hati; tidak hanya mengejar nilai akademik, tetapi juga memiliki nilai pekerti... dan perguruan tinggi sejatinya adalah benteng terakhir penjaga nilai-nilai tersebut...

Sila menyimak. Bersama mengevaluasi diri. Insya Allah kita akan menemukan insight dari Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli, Rektor IIUM. Moderatornya Dr. Zainal Sanusi dari Sejahtera Centre IIUM dan salah satu Discussant-nya Pak Himawan Bayu Patriadi dari Universitas Jember. PIC-nya Pak Yatno Ladiqi, asli Cak Suroboyo, kuliah di Jember, kini jadi Pensyarah di Negeri Jiran... Dari persahabatan Malaysia-Indonesia, lahirlah acara ini...

DARK ACADEMIA – Book Discussion
Recently Peter Fleming published his provocative book entitled “Dark Academia: How Universities Die”. As with his other books, Fleming is still focused on researching neoliberalism. Neoliberalism's agendas have penetrated various fields, including universities. At least, Fleming's thoughts have a stronger argument base when he sees how a university is wobbling during the global covid-19 pandemic. The provocation narratives described by Fleming are very relevant to the psychosocial aspects of a number of universities in Indonesia. At least we can observe how universities are transformed into corporations that support themselves by plunging into the free market and then transforming into economic machines.

Not only a virus, the meaning of "becoming an academic" is also being mutated. In the past, academics were referred to as intellectuals who were always highly dedicated to knowledge and always produced great ideas. Now, most academics are just playing the role of a backup player waiting for the call of power. If the call for power does not come, then they will perform while hoping that the circle of power will see them. The ends are the same, building power relations. Intellectuals of this kind in the language of Antonio Gramsci in his 'Prison Notebooks' are referred to as traditional intellectuals. According to Gramsci, the traditional intellectual is the mouthpiece of the will of the ruler. This harsh reality continues with the increase in the number of academics, the academic title is getting longer, but that's all. Not much to be proud of.

As a result, students as intellectual candidates then become disrupted. Academics who educate him are only limited to carrying out their routine rites by teaching but do not form the intellectual identity of their students.