ums.ac.id, PABELAN – Yusuf Nurdin Ashiddiqi, a Double Degree student from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), has graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A) from Dong-A University in South Korea.
Yusuf expressed his gratitude for successfully completing the double degree program on time.
“To graduate, I only needed a language certificate, and thankfully, I was able to obtain it on time, allowing me to participate in the graduation ceremony,” he said.
He shared the beginning of his journey in this program, as it was initially suggested by his father when he registered for the One Day Service (ODS) at UMS.
“My father encouraged me to consider it from the beginning when I registered for ODS. I did have some personal interest, but at that time, I lacked self-confidence,” Yusuf explained on Saturday, March 4.
However, he continued, his parents kept convincing him. Over time, as he had a passion for and enjoyed learning about English and foreign languages, he eventually made the decision to pursue the Double Degree program.
He also mentioned that the learning experience in Korea was different. The learning culture in Korea was distinct from what he was accustomed to. While at UMS, the atmosphere was comfortable for studying, with friendly professors who interacted with students. However, in Korea, due to language limitations, the environment was more formal.
Additionally, he noted that Korean students were highly ambitious and focused. They were exceptionally focused on their studies. In Javanese, he described it as “spaneng” (extremely focused). However, over time, he was able to adapt.
One of the most interesting experiences, he said, was when he first started offline classes in Korea. He often worked on projects with Korean students whose final assignments were presentations. He learned that, to perform exceptionally well, they would write pages of formal scripts for their presentations.
According to him, offline and online learning are quite different. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were many restrictions, they had online classes. So, when offline learning started, he was initially surprised.
They would present exactly what was written in their lengthy scripts to maximize their presentation scores. They were willing to create extensive presentation scripts. In Indonesia, presentations often involve more improvisation and exploring the material learned, which is a 180-degree difference.
He revealed that in Korea, he learned something new every day, both inside and outside the campus and in the surrounding environment during his stay in Korea.
So, if you participate in the Double Degree Program, you can learn directly from Koreans. Typically, people know Koreans through K-Pop, Korean dramas, and so on. Here, you can learn directly and even understand the background behind their habits. Through this experience, I learned many characters and many new things,” Yusuf said.
Yusuf’s 3 Tips for Joining the UMS Double Degree Program are as follows: First, prepare mentally and have a clear intention. Second, prepare basic Korean language skills. And third, prepare the subject matter because the courses in Indonesia and Korea are different.
“During my time in Korea, I needed to learn a lot, both academically and in terms of life. My advice to those who intend to pursue a double degree program anywhere is to have a clear goal, both during and after the program. The key is to have a good intention. When you have a good intention, InshaAllah (God willing), the process will be made easier, and the results will be good,” he concluded. (Fika/Humas)
