International Office of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) conducted a socialization event for the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program, a government scholarship program for Indonesian students to pursue international mobility at the world’s top universities. The event took place on Wednesday, February 1st, in the Seminar Room on the 7th floor of the Siti Walidah Main Building at UMS.
The report on the IISMA program was presented by Nur Amalia, M.Teach., the Head of Student Mobility and Hospitality.
“Just yesterday, we had a socialization session for the IISMA program with LLDIKTI (Higher Education Regional Office). Today, UMS is moving swiftly to provide information to our students,” Nur Amalia stated.
She mentioned that in the previous year, around 1,000 students attended the socialization, but only less than 30 applied for the internal selection process. Ultimately, only eight students progressed to the interview stage, and only one successfully participated in the IISMA program in 2022.
“We hope that this time, we can have up to 50 students apply for the internal selection,” she added.
Nur Amalia assured students that they need not worry about the application process because after this socialization event, there will be assistance provided for essay preparation and the submission of required documents.
“For English language proficiency and guidance, we will collaborate with the Language and General Knowledge Institute (LBIPU) at UMS to strengthen one of the selection criteria for the IISMA program,” she explained.
She further mentioned that students who take the English language test and meet the minimum score requirements can seek reimbursement from UMS, covering the expenses of the previously taken test.
UMS Rector, Prof. Dr. Sofyan Anif, M.Si., encouraged UMS students who have not yet participated in the selection process to enthusiastically consider applying for the IISMA program in 2023.
“If possible, let’s aim to send at least five students this year because UMS is already on the radar as an international-scale university, and this will support our vision of becoming a World Class University,” stated the UMS Rector.
He emphasized that this program is essential for students to not only engage at a national level but also at an international level, thereby contributing to the acceleration of UMS’s transformation into a World Class University.
In the same context, Vice Rector III, Ihwan Susila, Ph.D., expressed UMS’s commitment to encourage students to participate in various programs that enhance their academic and non-academic skills, including the IISMA program from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
“We hope that everyone can apply and make the most of this opportunity,” concluded Vice Rector III. (Fika)\
