The Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program, orchestrated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, has become a rising star, captivating more students each year.
Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and other universities are witnessing a surge in student participation.
Dr. Rachmat Sriwijaya, Head of IISMA, delivered exciting news—there’s an upswing in the student quota for the program. The surge in enthusiasm and participation over the years has paved the way for an expanded quota in 2024.
“In 2021, we started with 1,000, then in 2022, we opened with 1,100. In 2023, we increased it to 1,984. This year, hopefully, we will see around 3,000-3,300 awardees. We hope that student enthusiasm soars beyond Java Island for more even distribution,” he shared.
The awardees, numbering 3,000-3,300, will be dispersed among 140 partners from 35 countries registered in 2024.
The IISMA program offers three admission tracks: affirmation, regular, and co-funding.
The affirmation track is tailor-made for Bidikmisi scholarship students, Smart Indonesia Card for College (KIP-K) beneficiaries, and students in the 3T (frontier, outermost, underdeveloped) regions.
This track ensures equal opportunities for all Indonesian students, especially those grappling with economic constraints.
Meanwhile, other students can navigate through the regular or general track. Both tracks will unfold concurrently, encompassing the registration process, selection, announcement, and departure.
For students who might not clinch success in the regular track, IISMA opens a gateway through the co-funding track—a strategic collaboration where students share the funding responsibility with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
“The co-funding track differs because not all campuses are eligible for registration. Some partners don’t permit co-funding registration. Additionally, the funding is partial. We cover costs like campus administration, tuition fees, and departure ticket expenses,” said Dr. Andi Rahardian Wijaya, the Senior Manager of Operations and Administrator of IISMA.
Dr. Wijaya emphasized that the successful implementation of IISMA hinges on robust student participation, a crucial aspect in confronting the challenges presented by Industry 4.0. In the landscape of rapid technological evolution, there’s a growing workforce amid a constricted job market.
Regrettably, the proficiency in technology among the populace, especially students, remains at a rudimentary level. Studying abroad unlocks avenues to deepen various competencies. It furnishes a learning space beyond the campus, seamlessly aligning with the study program.
“There are ten competencies that will be needed in the future, from sense-making, transdisciplinary, and computational making and virtual collaboration. That’s why we created this program where the courses will support those ten competencies,” Dr. Wijaya added.
The opening of IISMA is slated for the end of Jan. until Feb. 2024.
Author: Tasya