During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation remains to contribute to the advancement of Indonesia's education. Notwithstanding having ups and downs due to the pandemic, the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation has consistently contributed scholarships to UGM students.
This academic year 2020/2021, there were six students awarded for Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation Scholarships. They will earn a scholarship of 450 thousand per month for each student.
Rusli Pranadi, as the chairman of the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation and the foundation's managers, officially handed over the scholarship on (12/11). In scholarship handover, the Director of Student Affairs, Dr. R. Suharyadi, M.Sc, and the six UGM students attended this event.
"During the limited conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are very thankful to be able to meet face to face to witness the handover of educational scholarships for UGM students from the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation for the 2020/2021 academic year," said Rusli Pranadi.
Rusli said the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation was established in 1983 by Asahi Glass Company Limited, Japan, or abbreviated as AGC with PT Asahi Flat Glass Indonesia. PT Asahi Flat Glass Indonesia is a joint venture company between Asahi Glass Indonesia and PT Roda Mas group in Jakarta.
PT Asahi Glass has been considered as a public company on the Indonesia Stock Exchange since 1995, and the Asahi Glass Foundation has granted scholarships to several schools ranging from elementary schools, vocational high schools, and several state universities in Indonesia since 1985.
"We have started to grant UGM scholarships starting in 2017. We gave this to 6 students with a total of 450 thousand per month per student," he said.
Rusli expressed his gratitude because, amid the current Covid-19 pandemic, where the company is also often encountering many ups and downs, the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation can still accommodate students' scholarship support.
"There are nearly 3,000 employees of PT Asahi, and 37 of them are from UGM. We believe that someday these scholarship recipients can finish their education at UGM on time with the best possible results. After they graduate, they are expected to be able to implement the knowledge obtained during their studies to their personal, family life and for the nation in the future," he added.
Director of Student Affairs, Dr. R. Suharyadi, M.Sc, also welcomed the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation scholarship award. He also highly appreciated this action because, during the Covid-19 pandemic, companies such as Asahi Glass Indonesia consistently accommodate student scholarship for their study progress.
"Even though in the middle of the pandemic, I report that UGM fellow students advance to exceed, and this year, UGM has been honored as the campus with the best student management," he said.
Suharyadi also added that despite the pandemic, the students still manifested their achievements outside the academic field, such as sports, arts, and achievements in several events. This fact points out that UGM students remain active even during the pandemic.
"I am so grateful. This action is a very extraordinary thing. Asahi Glass Indonesia team remains to help advance the student learning process," he said.
According to Haryadi, the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic have impacted so many sectors, including the industrial sector. Even so, this pandemic impact does not hinder Asahi Glass from committing to support students succeed in learning in Indonesia, notably at UGM.
He added that the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic had forced UGM. For illustration, this semester, as many as 10 percent of students from around 50,000 UGM students proposed to reduce their tuition fees. Furthermore, more than 5 percent of students demanded a postponement of payment of tuition fees.
"This condition shows that the Covid-19 pandemic also impacted the economic conditions in UGM students' parents. Therefore, hopefully, this scholarship support can revive my students' motivation to remain to study and multiply their enthusiasm. These actions, hopefully, can lead them to show their achievements both academically and non-academically. This result will surely make everyone proud, not only students, but Asahi Glass Indonesia as the scholarship provider will also be proud," he added.
The names of six students who received the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation scholarship were Esti Rizkiyana Latri and Elia Novita Sari (Faculty of Economics and Business). Also, Aji Wibowo Jati, Intan Milenia Sari (Faculty of Law), Ferdinand Maycello, and Grinaldy Yafi 'R (Faculty of Engineering).
Grinaldy Yafi 'Rasyad, on behalf of scholarship recipients, expressed his gratitude to the Asahi Glass Indonesia Foundation. He admitted that this scholarship is very helpful for his studies, especially during the current condition of this ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
"I am very pleased and grateful, alhamdullilah. This support can lessen my parents' burdens. As is known, this foundation often grants scholarships to several universities in Indonesia. I am incredibly proud to get this scholarship. Hopefully, friends and I will be more enthusiastic and make the best use of this scholarship as possible," he said.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photo: Firsto
Translator: Natasa A