Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) always seeks to achieve its mission to professionally foster and empower community by conducting various programs. One of them is a Learning Express (LEX) program or community service of UMY engaging international lecturers and students. To expand cooperation among institutions associated in the LEX and to develop the program, UMY participated at the Inaugural Learning Express Conference held in Singapore Polytechnic (SP) on 3-5 December.
UMY representatives at the conference were Division Head of Student Community Service of Office of Research, Publication, and Community Service (LP3M) of UMY Dr. Aris Slamet Widodo, a senior facilitator Widyasmoro, S.T. M.Sc., and a program coordinator of the LEX of UMY Jasmine A. Savitri.
At the opening ceremony of the opening, Jasmine stated that program is essential to broaden students’ horizon of international environment. “As the first partner of the LEX program and having been working for six years, since March 2013, we believe that comprehension of heterogeneous international areas is crucial for students to contribute to globalization. The program is a medium to prepare and enhance students’ capacity as global citizens,” she declared.
“UMY expects that the LEX program enables students and lecturers to improve their capability and to bring positive contributions to global community. We wish that this program can involve more academicians so that our networking can get greater, and it can unite all participants to be an ASEAN community committing to create better life for their community,” maintained Jasmined.
Meanwhile, a person in charge of a community service program Dr. Aris Slamet Widodo conveyed that through the conference UMY tried to provide an occasion to collaborate with LEX partners to organize the international program. “The LEX program possesses broad networking and is participated by several higher institutions as Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Japan. UMY will later conduct an international community service in the countries,” he mentioned.
Additionally, the Singapore Polytechnic and UMY have organized the LEX program 12 times since 2012 and empowered community in more than 30 villages and community businesses. The program has engaged 600 students and 50 lecturers from multidiscipline in Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and Indonesia.
