The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) at Universitas Jember held an important meeting on Thursday, April 30, 2026, to discuss strategic plans for establishing a Bachelor’s Degree (S1) Program in Tourism.
Hosted in the FISIP Career Development and Studies Institute (LKPK) Room, the meeting was officially opened by the Vice Dean I of FISIP Universitas Jember. The presence of top academics in this forum underscores the faculty’s serious commitment to expanding its tourism studies, which have previously been running as a Diploma (D3) program.
The meeting was attended by the Program Study Coordinator along with several lecturers from the D3 Tourism Travel Business (UPW) program—the department that has long served as the foundation of expertise in the tourism sector at the university.
Strategic Step for Post-Pandemic Demands
In his remarks, Vice Dean I emphasized that establishing the Bachelor’s in Tourism is a strategic move to meet the growing demand for highly skilled professionals in the post-pandemic tourism sector. He also noted that transitioning from a diploma to a bachelor’s level will provide a stronger academic and research foundation for students.
During her presentation, the Coordinator of the D3 UPW Program outlined that the upcoming Bachelor’s in Tourism curriculum will integrate:
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Tourism management theory
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Destination marketing
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Local wisdom
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Digitalization of tourism services
The curriculum drafting process involves experienced lecturers and incorporates valuable input from the East Java tourism industry, particularly from the Bondowoso, Situbondo, and Banyuwangi regions, which are renowned as premier destinations. The meeting also addressed accreditation requirements and the human resource fulfillment necessary to launch the new study program.
Addressing Challenges and Competitions
The discussion progressed dynamically as lecturers shared insights regarding the challenges and opportunities of launching this program amid competition from other major universities, such as Universitas Brawijaya, UPN Veteran Jawa Timur, and Universitas Negeri Malang.
To ensure a competitive edge, several key action points were agreed upon:
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Upgrading lecturer qualifications through further advanced studies.
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Developing a technology-based tourism laboratory.
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Strengthening partnerships with the Tourism Office and local businesses.
Vice Dean I also reminded the team of the critical importance of finalizing and submitting all proposal documents to the Higher Education Service Institution (LLDikti) by late July 2026.
Target Intake: Academic Year 2027/2028
The meeting concluded with an agreement to form a small task force responsible for drafting the academic paper, handbook, and official establishment proposal for the Bachelor’s in Tourism. Consisting of representatives from the D3 UPW faculty and FISIP academic staff, the team will work intensively over the next three months.
Vice Dean I expressed optimism that with thorough preparation, the Bachelor’s in Tourism at FISIP Universitas Jember will be ready to welcome its inaugural batch of students in the 2027/2028 academic year.
“This is our momentum to transform tourism into a flagship field of study—one that is deeply rooted in local wisdom yet globally oriented,” he concluded