Jakarta, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) – The Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program has once again sent off scholarship awardees to pursue entrepreneurial education abroad on Thursday (September 26). The “Onboarding IISMA Professional Programme (IISMA Entrepreneur) 2024” event was held virtually via Zoom.
“IISMA Entrepreneur is an extension of the regular IISMA program. It emphasizes entrepreneurial experience, so we expect participants to already have experience in the field,” explained Rachmat Sriwijaya, Head of the IISMA Program, in his opening remarks.
IISMA Professional Programme, also known as IISMA Entrepreneur (IISMA-E), is a scholarship program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in collaboration with the Educational Fund Management Institution (LPDP). Through this scheme, undergraduate (S1) and applied undergraduate (D4) students can undergo 6-7 weeks of learning at top international universities to hone their entrepreneurial skills, engage in practical activities, and experience foreign cultures.
This year marks the first implementation of the IISMA Entrepreneur program. In 2024, IISMA partnered with four universities in Australia and Germany. These universities include the University of Adelaide, which welcomed 30 awardees, the University of Melbourne with 20 awardees, Curtin University with 30 awardees, and the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, which received 19 awardees. A total of 99 students from 50 academic institutions and 12 vocational institutions in Indonesia were selected for the first cohort of IISMA Entrepreneur.
“We hope you become future leaders in Indonesia’s entrepreneurial landscape. Never hesitate to take the initiative, lead with innovation, and bring about positive change. Indonesia needs young leaders with the courage and passion to advance entrepreneurship in the country,” said Tatang Muttaqin, Acting Director-General of Vocational Education.
A similar sentiment was echoed by the Director of Learning and Student Affairs, Sri Suning Kusumawardani, before officially sending off the IISMA Entrepreneur awardees. She expressed that the students are Indonesia’s representatives, tasked with contributing to the nation’s development.
“You are ambassadors in enhancing entrepreneurship quality in Indonesia. The Indonesian government has set a target to create 1 million new entrepreneurs and increase the entrepreneurship ratio to 3.95% by 2024. This is part of the effort to achieve the 2045 Golden Indonesia generation,” stated Sri Suning.
Following their official send-off, the awardees participated in an online onboarding session, marked by a virtual background change on Zoom. This ceremony was commemorated with a photo session featuring two student representatives, the Head of the IISMA Program, Rachmat Sriwijaya, and the Director of Learning and Student Affairs, Sri Suning Kusumawardani.
The student representatives were Kenneth Nickelodeon Orleans Hendrawan from Ciputra University, who will study at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, and Putu Galuh Kinasih from Airlangga University, who will head to the University of Adelaide.
Welcoming the officially dispatched IISMA Entrepreneur awardees, Magnus Gittins, Chief Executive Education Officer of Melbourne Business School, addressed the students on behalf of the host universities. He emphasized the entrepreneurial skills the awardees would acquire during their time abroad.
“For the next six weeks, you will learn entrepreneurial skills through hands-on experiences in real-world settings with some of Australia’s leading startups,” Magnus said.
Meanwhile, Didik Eko Pujianto, Secretary to the Director-General of Protocol and Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, offered additional advice to ensure smooth learning abroad. He reminded awardees to follow the self-reporting procedures upon arrival in the host country and encouraged them to gain new perspectives by studying in a more advanced environment.
“The environment in developed countries will enrich your lives, not only professionally but also socially,” Didik noted.
To close the event, representatives of the awardees’ parents and the IISMA Entrepreneur awardees were given the opportunity to share their messages, aspirations, and gratitude.
“Make this experience a chance to grow, both academically and personally. I believe this experience will not only broaden your horizons but also expand your international network, which will be beneficial for your future careers,” said Sri Rusmala Dewi, mother of Azra Latifah Listi, an IISMA Entrepreneur awardee from Ahmad Dahlan University heading to the University of Melbourne.
“As a student from an affirmative region, namely East Nusa Tenggara, this program is a huge opportunity for me. I hope IISMA Entrepreneur will open more doors for young people, especially in East Nusa Tenggara, to develop entrepreneurship, so that it not only benefits me but also my community and region,” concluded Dorothea Inez Theresa Malo Rangga, an awardee from Nusa Cendana University, who will attend Curtin University. (MBKM Team/Editor: Rayhan, Denty)