Indonesia
The Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS) Universitas Brawijaya (UB) welcomed seven international students participating in the Darmasiswa Republic of Indonesia (DRI) Programme for the 2023/2024 Academic Year. They are Dalia Mostafa Ahmed Mohamed Ali from Egypt, Lee Hyeonseo from South Korea, Zakaria Redouane from Great Britain, Fu Wei, Hong Kaili, Li Landi, and Liu Qi from China.
The DRI Program Opening Ceremony was held on Friday (9/1/2023) in the Meeting Room, 1st floor of Building B FCS UB. It is the fourth year that UB has been trusted by the Ministry of Education and Culture’s (MoEC) Bureau of Planning and Foreign Cooperation in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of the Republic of Indonesia to organize the DRI Programme.
This activity aims to introduce Indonesian culture, art, and language to other countries. The Indonesian Government provides scholarships to young people from foreign countries (who have diplomatic relations with Indonesia) to study Indonesian culture, art, and language, including learning BIPA (Indonesian for Foreign Speakers) at several universities accross Indonesia, from Sabang to Merauke.
“In the globalization era, we are confronted with technological advancements and increasingly complex intercultural interactions. As the Dean of FCS UB, I am both honored and proud to contribute to the endeavour of introducing the richness of Indonesian culture to the international world,” said Hamamah, Ph.D.
The Dean of FCS UB further explained that the DRI Program offered international students a deeper understanding of Indonesia and helping us to understand how our culture is perceived globally. Through such interaction, we can construct bridges between Indonesian culture and other cultures, increasing our soft power on global stages.
“Students participating in the DRI Programme serve as cultural envoys, explorers, and peace ambassadors. They posssess an unwavering passion for understanding and appreciating the world’s diverse cultures. Every step they take is not just a mark on the earth’s surface but also a trace of civilization and mutual understanding among humanity,” she continued.
“I hope that during their tenure at FCS UB, the DRI Program’s students will not only gain academic knowledge and skills but also enrich themselves thorough invaluable experiences and foster relationships that will prove beneficial for their futures and help strengthening relations between our respective countries,” she concluded.
These international students will participate in the DRI Program for ten months at UB. They will focus on learning Indonesian culture, arts, and language at FCS, from September 1, 2023 until June 30, 2024.
“I chose UB to take part in the DRI Programme because UB has a partnership with my university in China,” said Hong Kaili, one of the participants.
Apart from the seven DRI Program students, two students from BIPA Cooperation Program are also in attendance: Cha Jihyeon from South Korea and Toranosuke Nakazawa from Japan, as well as two alumni of the DRI Program for the 2019/2020 academic year: Salma Tarek Eid Esmael from Egypt, and Grady Mitchell from the United States. [dts/PR FCS]