Malang – The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology has organized the IISMAVO program (Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards for Vocational Students) in 2022. IISMAVO is a scholarship program for studying abroad for one semester dedicated to vocational students across Indonesia. IISMAVO is particularly appealing due to its inclusion of an industrial internship within its academic system. Students who successfully secure the IISMAVO scholarship will be sent to various parts of the world, primarily to prominent campuses in Europe, Asia, America, and Australia. Students not only receive classroom lectures but also gain internship experiences at top global companies that are partners with the destination campuses.
In its development, the Information Technology Department at the State Polytechnic of Malang managed to qualify three of its best students for the IISMAVO 2022 program. One of them is a student named Abdul Rohman (Information Technology – 2019), who is part of the International class. He received a scholarship to study at Yuan Ze University in Taiwan. The awardee’s face radiates happiness and gratitude for finally being able to go to the country often referred to as the ‘Beautiful Island.’
“I gained many interesting experiences and valuable lessons while participating in the IISMAVO program, especially in how it broadened my horizons and presented me with my own life experiences in a new and challenging foreign country,” said Abdul.
He mentioned taking several linear courses such as Web Programming, Networking, Embedded Systems, and other courses. However, he also enrolled in other general courses, particularly Mandarin Class, which he found interesting.
Yuan Ze University hosts many international students from around the world (from Korea, Japan, France, Germany, among others) with approximately 600 or more international students, so many programs use English as their primary language.
Abdul, often addressed as such, revealed experiencing many culture shocks here. Some of these include how freedom is truly upheld here, with no limitations on what can be done (emphasizing self-awareness). Another culture shock is the language barrier, which sometimes makes things difficult. However, this is overcome by learning Mandarin, as it is the primary language in Taiwan. Also, holding onto principles, remembering goals, and what needs to be achieved to avoid being complacent with the freedom granted here.
Abdul expressed his thoughts on the differences between studying in Indonesia and Taiwan. “It all comes back to the extent of learning freedom. Even though we can choose how and in what manner to learn here, Taiwanese people can truly maximize their individual time for what they really like and need (this happens due to the extent of self-awareness they possess, unlike in Indonesia where we still need tasks and such to truly learn).”
“I’ve gained numerous lessons during this program, and the most impactful to me is how this program has made me an internationally aware individual capable of adapting to different environments. IISMAVO has provided me the opportunity to pursue education abroad, which has been one of my biggest dreams since forever,” he added.
Abdul’s tip is to start preparing oneself from now. Thorough preparation will greatly assist in passing the IISMAVO selection, and don’t forget to increase prayers.
“Besides knowledge and valuable experiences, we can also expand our network with many people from various countries. And of course, for free and paid hahaha,” Abdul said with joy.
Abdul Rohman conveys a message to JTI Polinema students if there are future scholarships. “Prepare yourself immediately, don’t be afraid to try. Remember, opportunities don’t come twice!!!”