United States, November 25, 2022 – After carrying out studies in various regions throughout the United States, recipients of the 2022 IISMA scholarship batch in the United States, Canada, and Chile held a webinar and talk show that recounted their experiences studying abroad, entitled “Tales from around the World: Finding Equilibrium between Academic and Non-Academic Life”. This webinar will be held on November 27, 2022.
This webinar was officially opened with remarks by Rachmat Sriwijaya (Head of the IISMA Program) and Mr. Daniel T. Simanjuntak (Indonesian Ambassador to Canada). Apart from that, this webinar was also enlivened by four students from four different universities, namely Dince Bunda (LPDP Awardee 2019 Boston University) who opened the first session of the talk show with the topic “Prepare Yourself! Apply Until Accepted”, and the second session entitled “Balancing Academic and Personal Life Abroad” was delivered by three IISMA awardees Enrique Owen (IISMA Awardee 2022 University of Pennsylvania from Gadjah Mada University, McMayer Joan (IISMA Awardee 2022, University of Waterloo from the Agricultural Institute Bogor), and Francis Andre (IISMA Awardee 2022 UC Chile from Sebelas Maret State University).
With the format of a webinar and talk show, it is hoped that this activity can have a positive social impact in order to resonate the spirit of studying and as a forum for contributions for scholarship recipients so that the knowledge they have gained during the IISMA program can be disseminated to all Indonesian students and the general public.
This webinar was officially opened with remarks by Andi Rahardian Wijaya as Deputy Head of the IISMA 2022 Program. He said that this webinar was a means to spread good news and various stories that IISMA awardees received while studying at the destination university. It is hoped that this good news and story will be able to motivate other students in Indonesia to seek learning experiences in various parts of the world in order to realize an advanced Indonesia. A speech was also given by the Indonesian Ambassador to Canada, Daniel T Simanjuntak. “I am impressed with the IISMA Program because this program facilitates the nation’s best sons and daughters in exploring their potential because they can study disciplines that are different from what they study at home,” said Daniel. Rachmat Sriwijaya, as Head of the IISMA Program, also added “it is not easy to study abroad, especially with the additional task of promoting culture. Awardees are also expected to know the place, country, and culture where they study,” he concluded.
Nizam, Plt. The Director General of Higher Education, Research and Technology, conveyed to the students receiving IISMA scholarships that they can learn the culture and good things of the countries they visit as well as share the rich culture of the archipelago with the people they meet in those countries, both inside and outside campus. “When you arrive at your destination country, you have to split up in building global friendship. Disseminate as much news as possible about food, folk songs, and photos about Indonesia’s natural beauty. Introduce the hospitality of the Indonesian people and convey that Indonesia has become a developed country,” said Nizam.
“It’s a very insightful experience from what Kak Dince said and told us about LPDP. Really give an idea what to do in the future when you want to register for a scholarship and it’s very useful,” said Rizkitaami Azqi Hadikusumah during the first webinar session. According to Dinda Amalia Putri, the second session was memorable for her “The stories of their experiences in terms of the education system, cross culture, language from each university, the many new things that I got made me even more motivated to become a future IISMA awardee”, she said.
The topic of Finding Equilibrium between Academic and Non-Academic Life was determined because of the interest of students in conveying the reality experienced in study abroad activities, as well as telling various challenges in efforts to balance academic life in the form of lectures in class and outside class and non-academic life in the social sphere , organizations, and committees on campus. Through this socialization, it is hoped that participants who are interested in participating in the IISMA program in the future will be motivated to continue studying abroad. These webinars and talk shows can be accessed online via the Zoom platform as well as the recording results which are also broadcast on IISMA’s Youtube channel.
Source : Dikti.kemdikbud.go.id
