Indonesian Scholarship Students Excel in UC Davis Global Study Program
Fall 2021 marks a momentous quarter for 17 students who are attending the Global Study Program (GSP) at UC Davis. These students are part of the inaugural Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program, launched and funded by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture. The IISMA is a competitive and prestigious award that provides well-qualified students from universities across Indonesia the opportunity to study abroad. UC Davis was one of four universities in the United States, and the only campus in the UC system, to be selected as a host institution for this highly competitive program.
Students are honored and grateful to be given this opportunity. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a college experience at UC Davis,” said Rifli Mubarak, a law student from Palu, Central Sulawesi studying at Universitas Hasanuddin. “I’m also aware that there is a responsibility to represent Indonesia, therefore it is important to go the extra mile at UC Davis by actively participating in courses, volunteer activities, publications and other things that I will not take it for granted.”
“I’m very glad to be a part of this program,” said Terra Alibazah who is studying math at Jenderal Soedirman University in Central Java. “I’ve always wanted to study abroad. I feel like that’s what most of my hustling and hard work was leading up to.”
Representing different islands throughout Indonesia, students participated in pre-departure activities as part of the IISMA program to help build a cohesive, Indonesian cohort prior to arriving at UC Davis. The Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture also worked closely with GSP to hand select 20 multidisciplinary UC Davis courses for students to choose from, including Design of Coffee, Visualizing Society, Introduction to Film Studies, Interpersonal Communication Competence and Food Science, Folklore and Health, which would help them gain skills outside their major and broaden their educational experience.
This is a great opportunity for students to be exposed to one of the best universities in the U.S., to see what kind of work is done here and to realize that they too can be a part of it.—UC Davis Professor Elizabeth Prado
In addition to regularly offered courses, GSP also provided tailored cultural and professional learning opportunities to supplement the students’ experience. The most innovative is a dedicated seminar created in partnership with UC Davis Nutrition Professor Elizabeth Prado designed specifically for the IISMA students to help them thrive during their study abroad program. According to GSP Director Jake Hosier, this seminar was created “to provide students with a weekly venue to gather and reflect on their experiences, enhancing their learning and creating a community we hope they retain long into the future.”
Custom Learning
As part of the IISMA partnership, GSP led a directed group study, Learning and Leading from Global Experiences, developed in coordination with the UC Davis Nutrition Department. The course helps students process their cross-cultural experiences and focuses on helping students:
- Recognize examples of intercultural understanding and intercultural competence
- Develop strategies for working with individuals and groups from differing cultures
- Identify self-analysis strategies to respond to culture shock, biases, assumptions, prejudices, and fears related to new cultural contexts
- Describe how cross-cultural experiences affect working in diverse and globalized systems
- Identify personal goals and learning objectives for their international experiences
“This is a great opportunity for students to be exposed to one of the best universities in the U.S., to see what kind of work is done here and to realize that they too can be a part of it,” said Professor Prado. She said she encourages them to think broader than their community and their country. “I tell them that they can be the ones who challenge conventional wisdom, make new discoveries and influence global policy.”
Outside of the classroom, GSP staff have supported the students with a variety of events such as a trip to San Francisco, a Thanksgiving dinner and more. The students themselves organized and led an event at the UC Davis International Center in honor of Indonesian Youth Pledge Day, sharing the rich diversity of Indonesian culture with the campus.
“Due to the competitive nature of the application process, these are very high-achieving students who are extremely motivated, engaged and enthusiastic,” said GSP staff. “Having a significant group of students who are so excited is an asset to the Global Study Program and the campus at large.”
A Transformational Experience
A major benefit of studying at UC Davis is that students have the opportunity to expand their knowledge beyond their areas of interest. “I feel as though studying fields outside of mathematics, specifically, communications and education, will give me an extra edge,” said Alibazah. “In Indonesia, we could only take courses linear to our major, and not much else. I think after this program, I will feel more well-rounded and definitely well-equipped for the professional world!”
Aisya Tirtosudiro, a nutrition student from Universitas Muhammadiyah in Jakarta, agrees. “Here I am learning to be skillful and to explore other subjects more freely. I believe this will be beneficial for me professionally too, because after working at an office I realized that having skills other than your desk job is important. So, I am trying to hone my skills as best as I can.”
Students are also gaining necessary 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication, which will help them succeed in their academic and professional life. Adisa Kinasihing Ramadhan, an English education student from Universitas Islam in Jakarta, thought her time-management skills were strong until she came to UC Davis and joined the active campus life. “I had to really sit back and rearrange my schedule,” she said. She was also challenged by the individual assignments at UC Davis versus mostly group work in Indonesia. “I think this shapes me to be more independent and to not rely on a group to succeed in my academics.”
Mubarak found that class discussions have helped him hone his critical thinking skills and increased his confidence in speaking up. “This will benefit my academic and professional goals as a legal researcher or lawyer,” he explained. “I’m on cloud nine to obtain all of it at UC Davis.”
UC Davis Outside the Classroom
Taking advantage of the many opportunities available and meeting people from around the world are also at the top of the list of things students value about studying at UC Davis. “The facilities here are so amazing! I’ve been spending my time by travelling with my friends—I’ve been to Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York—and using the facilities like the Activities and Recreation Center, library and 24-hour study room,” said Tirtosudiro. “We don’t have these on Indonesian campuses, so I am very excited to use them.”
“I’m enjoying the many diverse cultures that I'm exposed to on a near daily basis, be it in my classrooms or even in regular daily life,” said Alibazah. “GSP introduced me to a lot of people from different parts of the world. It's really nice to know and be friends with people from different backgrounds, cultures, genders and religions,” added Raihan Tsany Haidar, an English education student from Universitas Esa Unggul in Jakarta. “Being in the Global Study Program taught me a lot about cultural diversities and how I could be more open minded and tolerable,” said Kinasihing Ramadhan
Students also appreciated the support that GSP staff provided. “I cannot overexpress my gratitude for GSP and their help in getting us settled in Davis. Even before we landed here, GSP advisors were with us every step of the way: making sure we could take the courses we're interested in, always answering our questions, and generally just giving us a sense of stability by being one message or email away,” said Alibazah. “They have been understanding and accommodating and have provided many resources for us to maximize our time here, such as information regarding volunteering programs and cultural events.”
GSP staff also facilitate homestays—an invaluable experience that gives students a truly immersive taste of American culture and a welcome and supportive home away from home. “My host family has been very kind in allowing me to join in their daily activities, family dinners and even going so far as to attend Sunday services together!” exclaimed Alibazah. “It's been a very valuable time with them, feeling like I'm part of the family.”
Partner with Us
UC Davis is a perfect partner for sponsored governmental or non-governmental organizations. To learn more about how you can partner with us, contact cpeinternational@ucdavis.edu.
Kinasihing Ramadhan added that she felt very accepted and welcomed by her host family. “Living with them has been full of fun and joy, and I have learned a lot. I am able to communicate better and speak better English,” she said. “I also learned that we shouldn’t judge people based on assumptions.” She explained that while social media might make people perceive that the United States is unwelcoming to Muslims and Asians, at UC Davis and with her host family, she feels very welcomed. “As a Muslim girl studying in the United States, I have had many opportunities and great experiences!”
Looking Ahead
By the end of the quarter-long program, students will return to Indonesia with new accomplishments, experiences and competencies that will be useful for achieving their academic and professional goals. “Being able to study abroad at all will greatly boost my chances in the professional world,” said Alibazah. “All the courses I’m taking now can actually be very beneficial to my future job,” added Haidar. “I can apply all of the things I’ve learned to my students so they have a better learning experience.”