UNAIR NEWS – Benefita Diva Putra Wibowo, a student from the Faculty of Economics and Business Universitas Airlangga, got the IISMA learning experience in one of the top universities in the UK, the University of York.
To UNAIR NEWS, Ben said that pursuing studies in the UK has been a long-held dream of his. Through IISMA, he didn’t want to waste the precious opportunity. He put in all his efforts to become one of the awardees of IISMA 2023.
“Frankly, it was a long journey. I had three months to get the documents ready, including the English proficiency test (EPT), passport, and essay. Alhamdulillah, I completed all the procedures and now, I’m studying at York University,” he said.
Culture shock
For Ben, being one of the awardees is a blessing. It was the first time he had lived abroad on his own. While he was in the UK, he experienced a lot of differences.
The Faculty of Economics and Business students noted the difference in the cuisine. It took him a while to get used to British cuisine, which uses noticeably different food ingredients.
“Since my first arrival in England, the difference in food was the first thing I noticed. The majority of food in England is less seasoned and bland. This contrasts with the habits of Indonesian flavory and spice-rich cuisines,” he added.
Ben also went through another culture shock because of the English educational system. Studying in England offers more flexibility, especially in terms of class attendance.
“In Indonesia, attendance is an important factor. The University of York doesn’t consider its attendance policy very urgent. Final essays for the semester are used for assessment,” he said.
The lecturers are very open to discussion. They always discuss the learning materials in class. The study time in class is not stretched for a long period.
“I felt like in a seminar or talk show. The lecturers prefer discussion over monotonous lectures. I think it’s an effective way for students to quickly understand the materials,” he said.
Social and cultural initiatives
Apart from studies, the Sidoarjo-origin student also conducted social and cultural initiatives with the local students. One of them is the Batik Day celebration.
To promote Indonesian culture, various types of batik, traditional toys, and traditional fabrics are introduced to local students. They also sold traditional clothing, batik kits, and traditional dishes.
“We sold batik kits to local students and invited them to learn batik-making. Each kit contained fabric, wax, and batik-making tools. The proceeds from the sales were donated to St. Leonard’s Hospice. We yielded 215 GDP from the sales,” Ben said.
Furthermore, he expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the IISMA learning opportunity. “It’s an unforgettable experience. After completing my studies, hopefully, I can contribute to the education in Indonesia,” he said.
Author: Satrio Dwi Naryo
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
