The
present Pusat Pelatihan Bahasa or Language Training Centre dates
back to 1971 when Rector Soeroso H. Prawirohardjo (1968-1973)
launched a new project in recognition of the importance of foreign
languages in the work and career aspirations of academic and
professional Indonesians. The project was set up under the
auspices of the Indonesian Ministry of Education in cooperation
with the British Ministry of Overseas Development working through
the British Council, Jakarta. The University supplied the
building, staff housing, and the administrative staff for the
operation headed by Drs R. Soegondo (a senior lecturer and former
Dean of Fakultas Sastra UGM) first as Coordinator and later as
Director. Britain agreed to supply a full-time technical expert,
graduate volunteer teachers, books, and a language laboratory.
The
project was known as SELTU (Staff English Language Training
Unit), an acronym invented by Drs R. Soegondo and Mr Ken Moody
from the British Council. The first Director of Studies was Ms
Elizabeth Stewart, who was appointed to coordinate and implement
long-term language training programmes for UGM staff. She
organized both full and part-time courses with full support from
the head of the English Department, Drs Achmad Wirono, and his
staff as well as a number of native-speaking instructors from the
Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) organization. Ms Stewart was
later replaced by Mr Michael Smithies, who built on the existing
foundation.
Originally
the Unit was attached to the Faculty of Letters, and under this
system the Unit (inspite of its name) also offered courses in
other languages. From 1974 to 1978 it ran French courses for
university lecturers intending to study in France. The courses
were organized in association with the French Cultural Attaché,
Jakarta and taught by French cooperants, (young French
people who, instead of joining the compulsory military service,
served abroad teaching French). Dutch was also taught for some
time to recruit Dutch teachers before they were sent to Holland.
Early
in 1975, during the rectorship of Professor Sukadji Ranuwihardjo
(1973-1981), SELTU was established as a
separately budgeted unit independently of the Faculty of Letters
but part of the Hubungen Luar Negeri section of the Rector's
office. The Unit later received indirect financial assistance from
the Rockefeller Foundation and MUCIA (Midwest Universities
Consortium for International Activities), and under their
sponsorship Dr Gloria S. Poedjosoedarmo took over Mr Smithies'
position as Director of Studies (1976-1981) and continued to
develop the Unit and make substantial improvements in the SELTU
set-up. By this time, the University had managed to maintain
close affiliations with the Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association
(Oberlin College, Ohio) and Princeton-in-Asia (Princeton
University, New Jersey) for provision of American graduate
volunteer instructors.
Between
1987 and 1990 the ELT Projects Unit of the British Council,
Jakarta, funded by the Overseas Development Administration (ODA)
of the British Government, provided full-time ELT specialists and
financial assistance in the form of resources and materials. The
specialists (Ms Sarah Holland, Ms Annie Park, Mr Martin Lamb in
that order) revised and updated most of the courses and held
regular teacher-training workshops within the institution.
During
the rectorship of Professor Koesnadi Hardjasoemantri (1985-l990),
it was decided that in order to extend the scope and effectiveness
of the language training offered by the University, there was a
need for a new purpose-built centre on the university campus,
offering spacious and fully equipped premises for language
training. The Rector envisaged the integration of the English
teaching at SELTU and the teaching of other languages to
UGM staff, non-UGM staff, and the general public within one
central organization. In 1988 SELTU became Pusat
Pelatihan Bahasa and was part of the Faculty of Graduate
Studies (Pasca Sarjana), and on April 21st, 1989 the
new Language Training Centre moved to the present site. The
day-to-day management of the Centre was made up of Drs R. Soegondo
as Head, Dr Stephanus Djawanai as Deputy Head, Drs A. Wirono and
Drs Alex H. Rambadeta, MA as Academic Supervisors. Management
Board dealing with policy matters was made up of ex officio the
Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the Dean of the Faculty
of Letters and the Head of the LTC. The management team was
supported by a full-time ELT teacher/specialist, Mr Martin Lamb,
from the British Council, and head of the administrative staff,
Dra Kartinah.
To
cater for the increasing demand for the Centre's services,
Professor Mochamad Adnan, the new Rector (1990-1994), approved of
the LTC management’s request for additional space. The two
existing wings were extended about three quarters of the original
size of the new building, and by the end of 1992 the extension was
completed.
Today,
Pusat Pelatihan Bahasa is part of Program Pasca Sarjana UGM. The
present management comprises the following: Head (Drs Muljono,
MA), Deputy Head (Drs A. Wirono), Academic Supervisor for regular
courses (Drs Alex H. Rambadeta, MA), Academic Supervisor for
external courses Drs Tofan Dwi Hardjanto, MA). They are supported
by four Course Coordinators and teachers (Dra Sharifah Hanidar,
M.Ed, Dra Sari Lestari, MA, Dra Niken Sawitri, MA, Dra Ni Gusti
Ayu Roselani, MA and, Drs Eddy Pursubaryanto, Dip. TESL) and six
American graduate volunteer instructors representing Oberlin
College and Princeton University and serving at UGM for two years,
as well as a number of part-time teachers from the English
Department. PPB-UGM is now fully equipped to provide programmes of
an academic nature for university students and lecturers who will
pursue further study both overseas and within the country. In
addition, it is expected to have an increasing role in satisfying
regional and national training requirements. |