Translation by      : Siti Nur`Ain Feisal

Editor : Nik Hafzaini Nik Hassan

SERDANG – 10 Chapter Student Ambassadors (CSA) of Universiti Putra Malaysia from the Faculty of Human Ecology and Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication respectively had organised a mobility programme to the Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta for 14 days from 2 to 16 October 2022. The mobility aims for knowledge transfer and sharing as well as to strengthen the ties between local and international learning institutions.

This first mobility was run to train, teach and expose the students to culture, history, community life, and subsequently exchange ideas and expertise in their respective areas especially in agriculture, nutrition and its related fields. This programme is also seen to benefit the students with exposure to new environments that differ from their comfort zone and also contribute university’s visibility abroad.

Alumni Relations Centre (ARCUPM) as the monitoring entity for this mobility programme also sees a great benefit that can be brought by the students not only to the visibility of UPM but also to strengthen the ties among UPM alumni at UGM. Universitas Gadjah Mada also has UPM alumni who will certainly continue these ties not only as alumni and alma mater but also the continuity of the two-way relationship in boosting the field of agriculture between the two countries.

For the Director of Alumni Relations Centre UPM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arba'ie Sujud, the UPM Student Mobility Programme, Kembara Dunia Yogyakarta is a catalyst for other mobility programmes. The success of this mobility programme will give impact and justification to other mobility programmes which will in return give exposure to the next batches.

“This is our effort to support the call of Al-Falah as proposed by UPM Vice Chancellor, YH. Dato’ Prof. Dr. Roslan Sulaiman which is to expose UPM students to international activities and explore room of opportunities. It is the Alumni Relations Centre’s role to engage with alumni with every programme outlined as an effort to bring back alumni and contribute back to the university, hence leading it to an internationally reputable university. In line with the Vice Chancellor Narrative 2022, 11^th aspiration to engage alumni for university sustainability, the mobility programme is funded by UPM alumni aside from the students’ effort in collecting funds by utilising buggy@alumni for entrepreneurial activities during the convocation season. The voyage of knowledge aims not only to provide knowledge exposure to students but also display the university and alumni commitment to exposing students to an internationally body of knowledge.” He said.        

As for Nurul Izzah Izreen Zulhazmi, a final year Bachelor of Human Development Science with Management from Faculty of Human Ecology, said that the mobility programme is beneficial to her in gaining knowledge and experience studying abroad.

“The program exposes us on how to develop two-way relations until we managed to go to UGM. Through this programme, it taught us to run our own fundraising by doing entrepreneurial activities during UPM convocation. This teaches us to make efforts and strive for something that we want and not expecting for university aid alone. It is our hope that such mobility programme will continue and give exposure to the next mobility student batches. It is not necessarily in UGM but it might be somewhere which fit the purpose,” she commented.      

According to her, throughout the 10 day stay at UGM, various laboratory activities, paperwork presentations and communal visits were conducted.

Date of Input: 31/10/2022 | Updated: 23/12/2022 | suziana.wil