JUL

Cultural Parade of the Archipelago Marks the Completion of Batch 4 Student Exchange at UHW Perbanas

Saturday, 27 July 2024 View: 1434

Students from various regions of the archipelago who participated in the Merdeka Student Exchange Program (PMM) Batch 4 at Universitas Hayam Wuruk Perbanas have now returned to their respective regions. They completed the inbound program at UHW Perbanas during the even semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. The farewell event was marked by a Cultural Parade of the Archipelago, showcasing diverse cultural performances from the students' home regions.

The coordinator of the PMM at UHW Perbanas, Titis Puspitaningrum Dewi Kartika, S.Pd., M.SA. CTA., stated that UHW Perbanas received 37 students from 26 universities across Indonesia for PMM Batch 4.

"In addition to academic learning, they also engaged in non-academic activities through the Nusantara module. This module includes reflection, diversity, excursions, and cultural exploration in and around the city of Surabaya in East Java," she explained after the event on Saturday (27/7).

Throughout the PMM program organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology (Kemdikbudristek), Titis and her team have ensured that the nusantara students gain a comprehensive understanding of Surabaya's culture, tailored to each program period. However, iconic cultural sites such as the Tugu Pahlawan have consistently been a must-visit on their agenda.

Regarding UHW Perbanas's early class start time at 6:15 a.m., Titis noted that some students, particularly those from outside Java, initially struggled to adjust. "Those from outside the island (Java) found it challenging at first, but they eventually adapted well," she added.

She expressed hope that the Merdeka Student Exchange Program would continue to be supported by the government. "This program has been incredibly impactful, not only for the organizers and participating students but also for the lecturers, who enjoy the opportunity to interact with students from various regions, gaining valuable insights in the process," she remarked.

Meanwhile, Rindu Sefira, a student from Hamzanwadi University, shared her extraordinary experiences during the semester. She particularly enjoyed the camaraderie with fellow students from across the archipelago and exchanging perspectives based on their individual characters and regional backgrounds. "That was very exciting," said the student from Lombok.

Discussing Surabaya's cultural nuances, she highlighted the distinctive taste of petis. "In Surabaya, petis is ubiquitous. It's a cultural element I discovered here that I couldn't find back in Lombok," said the Economics Education student.

The 26 universities in Indonesia that sent students to UHW Perbanas for the PMM Batch 4 program include: STKIP Andi Mattappa, Universitas Sriwijaya, Universitas Negeri Padang, Universitas Jambi, Universitas Tadulako, Universitas Prima Indonesia, Universitas Sam Ratulangi, Universitas Hamzanwadi, Universitas Dharmawangsa, Universitas Warmadewa, Universitas Adzkia, Universitas Katolik Widya Mandira Kupang, Universitas Kristen Indonesia Maluku, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Universitas Bung Hatta, Universitas Lancang Kuning, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kalimantan Timur, Universitas Teknokrat Indonesia, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Universitas Katolik Santo Thomas, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, Universitas Ichsan Gorontalo Utara, Universitas Baiturrahmah, Universitas Samudra, and Universitas Timor.