Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) sends 59 students to 17 countries to perform student exchange. They are students from various departments, namely Communication Sciences, International Relations, Governmental Studies, Economics, Law, English Education, and Medicine.

Chairperson of International Students Office, Idham Badruzaman, S.IP., M.A. informed that there is the increasing of the number of students and countries. There are 17 countries where the students will have the student exchange, namely Poland, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Italia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, France, Turkey, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

“It was only International Research students who did student exchange or internships at the Indonesian embassy, but now Economics and other department students can perceive overseas student mobility. It is expected that there would be more students carrying out student exchange since it becomes a trend at UMY along with the globalization,” Idham stated.

Meanwhile, in the pre-departure orientation at AR Fachruddin A, floor 5, on Thursday (29/12), Head of Cooperation Office of UMY, Indira Prabasari, Ph.D. advised that students who will perform student exchange can maintain the good name of UMY and Indonesia, and can behave well.

“Students should implement values taught at this university so that other friends from UMY who will come to the same place will not get difficulties. Foreigners tend to compare one student to other students,” Indira asserted.

The students had a three-day pre-departure orientation. Indira told that during the pre-departure orientation there was a sharing session by students who carried out student exchange. The pre-departure orientation may prepare the students to adjust to new environment.

“Performing student exchange in various countries may enable students to broaden their horizons so that they will not easily judge other people,” Indira ended.