22 July 2011

Seven students from one of Indonesia’s leading universities, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have started a student exchange in Adelaide, spending one semester at the University of Adelaide on scholarships funded by the Australian Government. Each student received a grant of $5,000 under the International Student Exchange Program.

The students are from UGM’s Faculties of psychology, economics and business, architecture, engineering, and social and political sciences. They are the first group of UGM students to go to Adelaide on exchange.

They were welcomed to the University of Adelaide on Friday afternoon at an official function hosted by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), Professor John Taplin. “Indonesia is very important to our university”, he said. “We are developing stronger links with UGM. This group of students from UGM is the largest contingent of exchange students from any Asian university studying with us at the University of Adelaide.”

“They make us so welcome, it feels almost like home”, said student Miss Dana Fahadi. “ From living and studying here, we can obtain different knowledge about language, culture and other things.”

The Australian Government encourages Australian students to immerse themselves into social and academic cultures of other countries and provides opportunities for international students to do the same in Australia.  The International Student Exchange Program administered by DEEWR, provides funding to Australian higher education institutions to subsidise the cost of establishing and monitoring eligible student exchanges with registered higher education institutions in certain countries. Further information about the program can be found on the DEEWR website.

 
From L to R - Andrew Bain, Senior Executive Officer (International), Stephen, Putri Mustikasari, Stefani Werdiningsih, Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof John Taplin, Stefani Pramesvari, Thressye Nainupu, Dana Fahadi, Refky Sa