Proposal Of Students Exchange Umm

Student Exchange Programs University of Muhammadiyah Malang

A. Background In the globalized world as what we are facing today, no one is able to run away; no matter what we are. Globalization cannot differentiate between someone who understands the idea behind it and the one who knows nothing about it. It does not have ears to listen, no nose to smell, and no the heart to to feel. Therefore, a university like the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) does not want to be left behind, entering and involving a university in this world is unquestioned. UMM is able to identify that, at least, there are four key reasons for paying greater attention to globalization. The first is because knowledge knows no boundaries; if we do not internationalize, we risk becoming a narrow-minded institution. The University has made it clear that we will judge our accomplishments according to international standards. By developing collaborative partnerships with many of the best institutions around the world, we will continue to enhance the quality of our own programs, and to ensure that the work of scholars from UMM is known and respected worldwide. Second, UMM realizes the mandate to bring the world to their students and other constituents in all of its cultural and physical diversity. Courses, researches and instructional programs must

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provide an introduction to the complex global environment. These activities will be able to help to prepare our students for active participation in the global economy and society. The next reason is to maintain a long tradition of aspiring to social justice and environmental sustainability. UMM has demonstrated this commitment through active participation in development projects and educational initiatives that enhance the capacity of our partner institutions and contribute to progressive social transformation. To continue this tradition, UMM should also tries to expand the range of activities beyond the traditional engagements into other areas. For example, UMM can do it by developing an interdisciplinary and cross-college collaboration in research activities that will contribute to the search for solutions to major global problems (e.g., global environmental change). The promotion of UMM internationally also has the potential to generate significant revenues for the institution (through student fees, research grants and contracts, and donations). Broadening and deepening our commitment in this field has its cost, however, so these revenues will need to be reinvested to provide infrastructural support for globalization. To initiate an international program, there a number of activities that can be routes. But, one of the academic activities that is of highly relevant is by conducting a Student Exchange Program. B. Objectives The mail objective of this program is to make UMM be able to develop an international exposure and a networking with some

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universities and institutions abroad that is important for the students themselves personally and for UMM institutionally. So this program will become an opening door for the initiation of international cooperation between UMM and other universities and institution from other countries. Spefically, this program that can be considered as an investment for life for the students will be beneficial in many different and valuable ways. For example, this program will be able to make the students of UMM learn another language and open career doors you didn’t know existed; get to know how others live and come to see the world from another perspective; test and acquire the students’ independence and maturity; make new friends and appreciate old ones even more; gain experience and judgement; and learn about the world first hand C. Benefits for Students Students who participate in student exchange program will obtain some benefits because those students will be able to: •

Broaden personal and educational perspectives

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Explore and appreciate new cultures

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Widen university boundaries

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Learn from different professors

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Experience personal growth

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Live in a different geographic area

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Investigate graduate or professional schools

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Look for future employment opportunities

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Become more independent and resourceful

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D. Types of Activities: The types of activities of the student exchange program vary from the simple to the more complicated ones. Those activities might be in the form of: 1) sit-in, 2) internship, 3) community service and development; 4) summer job; 5) training and shadowing; 6) double degree program. 1. Sit-in program

In “sit-in program” what the students of UMM do is simply joining the teaching learning activities in other university abroad with similar department. For example, the students of Psychology Faculty who participate in this program will attend some classes in psychology in other university abroad. Because this is a non credit program, the students do not earn any credit from this program. But they observe and learn how the students from other countries do their daily academic activities, expecially in their teaching learning activities. 2. Internships

Different

from the sit-in program that is in collaboration

with a university with similar program, internships will be developed in collaboration with a company abroad that is ready to accept UMM students to do internship program. But it must be the one that is in line with the students’ study program. The students of Management Department, for instance, must have the internship in the field of management. The students from Engineering must also have this program in the engineering field, etc.

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3. Community Service and Development

In community service and development, the students are assigned to have some community service and development projects. The projects will be implemented in collaboration either with a Non Government Organization (NGO) or a partner university abroad. The projects themselves might be the ones that are in line with the students’ study program or different. It is advisable that the projects are in line with their study program. The theme of community service and development project is the eights Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that consist of: 1) eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; 2) achieveing universsal primary educations; 3) promoting gender equity and empowering women; 4) reducing child mortality; 5) improving maternal health; 6) combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; 7) ensuring environmental sustainibility; and 8) developing a global partnership for development. 4. Summer Job

In summer job, as the name suggests, what the students do is working within about 4 months in any company abroad, especially the one in the United States of America (USA). It is not necessarily in line with the students’ study program because the main objective of this program is to make UMM students have the experience work interacting and working with people from different cultural background. This experience, of course, is very helpful for them when they have to enter the workplace wherever

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they go. They will not be surprised and stressed when they have to face and to work with people from different characters and cultural background. 5. Training and Shadowing Training and shadowing is aimed at training and providing an experience of organizing student activities in a university abroad for the students of UMM who are active in student organization. These students are supposed to involve in student activities and always “shadow” what the chiefs of the student organization do in their daily program. When there is a meeting, for example, UMM students have to join it. Any student activity that is relevant must be participated. It is quite possible that UMM students will also give training for their counterparts abroad because of their experience in conducting similar program. 6. Double Degree Programs

Double degree programs are the ideal one of student exchange activity. As what we all know, with this program, after their study, UMM students are expected to obtain 2 (two) degrees: one from UMM and the other one from its counterpart university abroad. To implement this program, UMM will struggle to embrace a university partner that agrees to have a collaboration in “one for one” basis. With basis of agreement, UMM students do not have to pay the tuition fee higher than the what they have to do at UMM. If possible, UMM students pay tuition in UMM standard. The students of counterpart university

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also in their own standard; the students are charge regularly without additional payment. E. Counterpart Universities The counterpart universities are the ones from the countries where UMM already has a collaboration such as Malaysia, Brunai Darussalam, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, France, etc. F. Cost Sharing This program is implemented on the basis of cost sharing among some parties such UMM, Indonesian government, students themselves, and other parties who are voluntarily ready to participate in this program. G. Closing Whether this program is successful or not, it depends a lot on the participation of the involved parties. When it is well implemented, UMM will get the benefit in the form of competitive advantage as a university with international exposure. For further communication, the contact person in charge of this program is as follows: Mr. Soeparto Assistant Rector for International Relations University of Muhammadiyah Malang Jl. Raya Tlogomas 246 Malang 65144 East Java – Indonesia Phone/Fax: +62 341 460435 Mobile Phone: +62 8123368597 Email: [email protected] [email protected] 14