GEO Fisipol’s Warm Welcome for International Students

Yogyakarta, 5 August 2019—Adapting to a totally new academic environment is something that all students have to face, including foreign students in UGM. Held simultaneously with the new student orientation programme, GEO Fisipol also held an orientation programme for foreign students. This programme introduced several important institutions to the foreign students that will help them during their stay, which included OIA and GEO Fisipol.This programme was opened by I Made Andi Arsana, Ph.D., the representative from OIA. He explained various aspects regarding the visa arrangement procedures for the foreign students. The foreign students were also given a student ID card as an additional ID for their stay in Indonesia.

Afterwards, the foreign students were taught on how to take courses in Fisipol UGM. Classes from the Department of Public Policy and Management and the Department of International Relations were available for them. Foreign students can take classes that are under the International Undergraduate Programme or the Immersion Programme, and they are also able to take regular classes should they have a sufficient proficiency of Indonesian.

In addition, the foreign students were also introduced to the Buddy Club, which can help them in formal and informal matters. Several programmes of the Buddy Club include Welcoming Dinner, City Tour, Cultural Exposure, Garden Gathering and Farewell Party. In the Cultural Exposure programme, foreign students can experience making batik, visit other cities and interact with the locals.

Furthermore, foreign students also participated in a faculty tour, which brought them to the classrooms in Fisipol, Digilib, Sansiro Park, Fisipol Canteen and Fisipmart. Afterwards, they conducted a campus tour to familiarize themselves with the UGM complex.

Audrey, a German foreign student that studies International Relations at the University of Groningen, conveyed that she has chosen Fisipol UGM due to its specific and diverse curriculum. Audrey believed that the Department of International Relations of UGM provides several interesting courses, such as corruption issues and development studies, two aspects that she has rarely exposed to. Furthermore, she has noticed that there are numerous student clubs and activities that Fisipol has to offer.