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| UMM Psychology students have the opportunity to experience studying in Turkey (Photo: Special). |
It is a missed opportunity if the facilities provided by Kampus Putih (White Campus) are not utilized properly. Moreover, the opportunity to experience education abroad is one of the aspirations desired by many students. This has been a motivation for Chandrika Kirani Bakari, a student at the Faculty of Psychology, University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM). She had the chance to experience education in Turkey, specifically at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, from October last year until February 2024.
Chacha, as she is affectionately known, is a student in the White Campus' international psychology class. This allowed her to fly and study abroad, which led her to study abroad.
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"To be honest, this is a very valuable experience. Especially through the program provided by UMM, my perspective on the world has changed. It is also a great opportunity for me to introduce culture and interact with various people," she explained.
The International Psychology Class at UMM has an International Credit Transfer (ICT) program that can only be attended by students in that program. Through this program, students can experience education at outstanding foreign universities for one semester. However, students who wish to participate must meet specific requirements, such as TOEFL, Duolingo, or TAEP tests.
Chacha used the TAEP test results obtained at the beginning of her enrollment. This type of test is developed directly by the Language Center Testing Services (LCTS) of UMM's Language Center (LC). It has started to gain acceptance from various institutions.
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While in Turkey, Chacha experienced several cultural differences. This included speaking styles, social styles, and overall culture. For example, at the university, there seemed to be no distance between professors and students. Professors preferred it when students engaged in personal discussions about the learning material. It was not uncommon for students to discuss course content via email.
Another unique aspect she discovered was that many students chose to skip classes and opted for independent study. These students usually discussed course materials with their professors via email, allowing for more intensive communication. Moreover, professors preferred to be addressed by their names directly, without mentioning their titles. This practice was adopted to eliminate the distance between professors and students, making them more comfortable learning and expressing their opinions.
"Actually, in Indonesia, especially at UMM, this has been implemented, but due to cultural differences, such practices are not realized. Moreover, it might be considered impolite if titles like 'pak' ('Mr.') or 'bu' ('Mrs.') are not used," she added.
Apart from gaining valuable knowledge, during her studies in Turkey, she also learned about socializing, visited new places, and immersed herself in their culture. She even visited Cappadocia, known for its beautiful landscapes.
She hopes that more UMM students will have the opportunity to visit various countries and study there, not just Turkey. Especially since UMM's international cooperation is extensive. Every semester, dozens of students and lecturers participate in exchange programs in various countries, including Europe, Asia, America, and even Africa. (tri/wil/fajr)
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