In the past few years, higher student mobility from around the world has been observed as higher education institutions become more globalized. This is important to encourage a greater number of outgoing students and welcome the influx of incoming students. International students are now making up a significant portion of students in universities around the world.
On September 2, 2019, President University welcomed four students from various countries: Nonsikelelo Angela Tshabangu (Zimbabwe), Radwa Mohammed Osama Abdalla Elsaid Hewedy (Egypt), Tariq Ahmed Baroudi (Australia), and Moses Tende Stephens (Liberia). These students come under the Darmasiswa Indonesian Scholarship Program organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Republic of Indonesia (Mendikbud) in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Darmasiswa is a scholarship program offered to all foreign students from countries which have diplomatic relationship with Indonesia to learn Indonesian language, art, and culture.
On the occasion, Handa S. Abidin, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D. as the Vice Rector for Communication and Partnerships as well as the Vice Rector for Student Affairs at President University delivered his hope that the students can best utilize the opportunity at hand that by the end of the program, they can converse fluently in Indonesian language. Mr. Abidin also said that President University would be more than glad to welcome them as full-time students later after they have completed their Darmasiswa program.
The four students will be studying at President University under Darmasiswa Scholarship for the academic year of 2019-2020.
Out of 46 applicants of Darmasiswa scholarship at President University, the International Student Affairs (ISA) Bureau of President University conducted an administration check and first layer screening before submitting to the national committee to continue with the screening process.
Selected applicants then participated in the interview selection at the Indonesian Embassy in each country. The final four candidates then flew to Indonesia to join other Darmasiswa Scholarship awardees in a two days national orientation in Jakarta before leaving for their respective host higher education institutions.
Throughout the upcoming academic year, the ISA Bureau has arranged a series of enhancement activities to support language and cultural immersion of the students during their stay in Indonesia.