Universitas Gadjah Mada has quite a number of international students. According to the UGM Office of International Affairs (OIA), the number of the international students in 2016 is 1,201 from degree and non-degree programmes.
The OIA gives facilities to those students in the form of International Student Orientation and Garden Gathering that introduce students to the UGM.
Recently, a Garden Gathering has been organised that attracted some 40 international students from various countries as well as OIA staff. This event is to strengthen the ties between the international students and UGM. “Through the Garden Gathering, good relationship is expected to be established between international students and all OIA staff,” said Steering Committee of Garden Gathering, Ariargo W. Putra, on Friday (9/12).
Ariargo explained this time the Garden Gathering was organised at the end of the semester unlike the previous ones at the start. This was to affirm that UGM always accompany the students right from the start to the very end of the study.
Garden Gathering was enlivened with a performance of Javanese culture in Surakarta style. The students further promoted their cultures with tens of students from seven countries giving performances.
Head of UGM Subdirectorate of International Cooperation, I Made Andi Arsana, Ph.D., appreciated the Garden Gathering, hoping that the students would be able to learn and understand Indonesia apart from the academic programme done in class.
“Not only get to know and understand Indonesia, in the gathering the international students also have the chance to meet with and get to know other international students,” Andi said.