UNAIR NEWS – DreamStudy held a National Webinar on “Strategies for Successful IISMA 2024 Scholarship Application“ on Sunday, Feb 4, 2024. The event featured Wahidah Mevi Nihayah, a Communications student and Co-Student representative of IISMA (Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards) Palacky 2022 Awardees, as the speaker.
During her presentation, Mevi shared her experience of studying at Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic. Mevi also discussed topics related to the selection process and provided useful tips & tricks to be applied when applying for IISMA.
Advantages and challenges
Mevi has gained many advantages by participating in IISMA, including the opportunity to build international relationships with friends from various parts of the world. Furthermore, she felt that her cultural intelligence skills improved during IISMA because she met people with different backgrounds living in a country with unfamiliar culture.
“IISMA allows us to take courses that are not directly related to our study programs. In the end, I am very grateful because the knowledge in other disciplines strengthened and complemented what I had learned in Communication Science at UNAIR,” she expressed.
Mevi also faced some challenges during IISMA. The most significant challenge she felt was the dissimilar weather between the Czech Republic and Indonesia, especially Surabaya. Additionally, the walking culture and milder food were also obstacles for her.
“IISMA is not just all about rainbows. Besides the advantages I felt, there are certainly challenges as well. However, gradually I was able to adapt to these differences,” she explained.
Tips before writing an essay
For her, the essay is one of the crucial documents for IISMA because assessors can evaluate applicants through the essay. Therefore, Mevi shared some tips that students can do before writing an essay. The first tip Mevi mentioned is to find a unique and genuine purpose.
“Find something that can represent you and your uniqueness. Because cliché reasons have already been expressed by thousands of applicants, so it doesn’t make you outstanding,” Mevi said.
The second tip is to determine the personal brand you want to represent in the essay. Mevi revealed that to determine a personal brand, she conducted self-reflection with three aspects. These aspects include past experiences, current skills, and aspirations.
“Then find a common thread to connect the three aspects and your personal brand to apply for IISMA and the selection of the campus and courses. My last tip is to conduct in-depth research on the campus and courses you choose,” she concluded.
Author: Fath Tazkya Ernest Jamila
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
Baca Juga: Mahasiswa Ilmu Komunikasi Beri Edukasi Kesehatan Mental
