The Tax Administration Study Program, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI) inaugurated the Tax Clinic, on Wednesday, January 19, 2022. This Tax Clinic is one of the flagship programs of the Vocational Campus competition fund (Competitive Fund Vokasi) through the grant program for the Development of Industry-Based Applied Undergraduate Programs, Directorate of Vocational and Professional Higher Education, Directorate General of Vocational Education, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.
The Tax Clinic was established with the concept of teaching factory as the implementation of a system of work procedures carried out by the tax consulting industry in providing tax services to clients or taxpayers. Vokasi UI collaborates with three industry partners from tax consulting offices in this project, namely MUC Consulting, Observation and Research of Taxation (Ortax), and Danny Darussalam Tax Center (DDTC). The inauguration of the Tax Clinic was conducted by Director of Vocational School UI, Prof. Sigit Pranowo Hadiwardoyo, Director of Tax Compliance MUC Consulting Sigit Wibowo, S.E., Tax Specialist Ortax Bambang Setiawan, S.Si., and Partner of Tax Research & Training Services DDTC B. Bawono Kristiaji.
Since 2013, said Prof. Sigit Pranowo Hadiwardoyo, the Tax Administration Study Program has consistently provided free services in the form of consultation assistance in filling out the Annual Individual Tax Return, both within the Universitas Indonesia and in various partner companies. “Previously, tax consultations were conducted in the form of community service and have become a program that the community looks forward to,” he said.
“With this tax clinic, it is hoped that tax volunteers can have a forum to provide wider services,” said Sigit. He also appreciated the contribution of partners in the process of establishing the Tax Clinic and in the learning process at Vocational School UI. “Hopefully this collaboration can continue, because the Vocational curriculum is dominated by practicum, Vocational UI really needs a link and match with industry,” he said.
Head of the UI Vocational Tax Administration Study Program, Arie Widodo, M.S.M., said the Tax Clinic also functions as a teaching factory, where the concept of learning in an industrial setting to bridge the competence of knowledge and skills provided by the campus and industry needs for students. “This concept will also provide experience and challenges to students to find solutions to problems faced by clients so that they can have competence in their fields to meet industry needs after graduating from Vocational School UI,” he said.
The Tax Clinic as a teaching factory has also been implemented in several countries as part of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, such as in America, the Federal Tax Clinic, Harvard Law School, and Australia at the Melbourne Law School Tax Clinic, University of Melbourne, and various other countries, so we are sure that the UI Vocational Tax Clinic can also develop well,” said Arie Widodo.
According to him, the services provided include calculation, deposit and reporting of monthly taxes (Periodic Tax Return), calculation, deposit and reporting of annual taxes (Annual Tax Return) for both Individuals and Entities, assistance with audits, objections and appeals, SP2DK assistance, making Standard Operating Procedure for taxation, tax reviews, tax planning, Voluntary Disclosure Program, making financial reports, and others.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, online consultation services are still provided by tax volunteers with various types of tax issues faced by taxpayers throughout Indonesia. In addition, the tax clinic also opens face-to-face consultation services at the Vocational Education Program at the Universitas Indonesia for all taxpayers starting in early February 2022. “Corporate and Individual Taxpayers who wish to consult can contact the Tax Clinic via email: klinikpajak@vokasi.ui.ac.id,” said Dodo.
Author: Mareta Maulidiyanti | Editor: Mariana Sumanti
