Page 306 - Universitas Terbuka Center of Excellence In Asia 2010 and The World 2020 (A Journey Towards a Leading Open and Distance Education Institution 1984-2008)

happened to UPBJJ Yogyakarta. UPBJJ Yogyakarta received 32 new academic
staff from SPG Gunung Kidul, Wates and Bantul. At that time, the number of

UPBJJ Yogyakarta 's staff drastically increased to 49. As they had inadequate
office facilities, the new academic staffs were assigned to be tutors for D-11

PGSD Program. Their work schedule was arranged in such a way that they only
had to be in the UPBJJ office twice a week.

Although the above decision was beneficial for UT in the long run (as UT
could employ the transferred staff as tutors). it still posed certain problems. The

big number of the former SPG/SGO teachers could not work at their maximum
capacity. The help from the Personnel Bureau of Department of Education and

Culture assisted UT in arranging the transfer, which took more than a year.
Trainings for those former teachers were subsidized by Directorate General of

Higher Education through its Training Center. Before they started working at UT,
they were trained for a month in Sawangan, Bogor. They were introduced to the
system of UT and equipped with basic skill to carry out their future tasks. Then ,

they were given a chance to get the second S-1 degrees, especially those whose

educational background was not suitable with the study programs at UT.
The number UPBJJ staff varies from one UPBJJ to another due to the
different needs and the number of staff sent from the Head Office . From time to

time, the placement and training of staff are the major concern of UT. The

purpose of staff placement and trainings is to equip them with different
experiences and skills so that they will be able to provide quality services to
students all over the country. The placement of staff according to their skills and

improvement of their skills are done through orientation , apprenticeships, and

rotation . Education and trainings are based on UPBJJ's needs and may take form
of further studies, apprenticeships , trainings, seminars, conferences, and
courses. Therefore, UT Head Office provides periodic trainings for all UPBJJ's

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