Through IISMA 2021 Scholarship Program, Three Sanata Dharma University Students Will Have the Opportunity to Study Abroad

On June 14, 2021, through their official Instagram page @kampusmerdeka.ri, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology announced the results of the IISMA 2021 selection. A total of 1,000 students from 98 public and private universities managed to have the opportunity to study at 60 host universities spread across 28 countries. Previously, 2,000 students from 144 universities in Indonesia had registered for the IISMA 2021 program. Through a virtual meeting attended by the Head of the Bureau of Cooperation and International Relations Sanata Dharma University, three Sanata Dharma University students participated in IISMA 2021.

The three students are Gidion Simatupang, Widi Murti Kasih, and Stefani Bella Efratania. They are active students from the English Literature and English Language Education study programs. Those three students will proceed with the next steps, which are completing the required documents for the departure process and attending a virtual meeting with the host university accompanied by the Head of Bureau of Cooperation and International Relations. While participating in the IISMA 2021 program, the three students are entitled to study for one semester at the host university with the elective courses. From the selected students from the English Literature study program, Gidion Simatupang will participate at Michigan State University, USA, while Widi Murti Kasih will participate at University of Waterloo, Canada. Additionally, one student from the English Language Education study program, Stefani Bella Efratania, has the opportunity to study at University of California, Davis.

The purpose of the IISMA 2021 scholarship program is to develop student mobility and explore collaboration between home universities and the host universities. The host university for the IISMA 2021 program is an institution that is willing to hold lectures offline so that students can study face-to-face. Participants are asked not to take classes at their home university while pursuing this program in order to concentrate on studying at the host university.

Through the IISMA 2021 scholarship program, it is expected that the selected students will enrich and improve their insights and competences in the real world according to their interests and aspirations. These goals are in line with the meaning of global diversity in the Profil Pelajar Pancasila. The Director-General of Higher Education Kemendikbudristek, Nizam, quoted from their official website explaining that student exchange programs can enrich the participants’ knowledge with experience, build self-confidence and international friendship which are known as global diversity in the Profil Pelajar Pancasila.


I’m glad that I convinced myself to apply to this program and prepare everything in a very tight deadline. It was an emotional rollercoaster throughout the process and now I’m very grateful that I got accepted!

I hope this IISMA program will be continued and held annually so that the other students can get a chance too!

It’s truly a blessing that I am able to join IISMA program. I now want to take this chance to expand my capability and improve myself. I hope there will be more students interested in and have the same opportunity as I did.

To be honest, I’m not expecting myself to be accepted into this program. I always ask myself, “Can I pass and become one of the awardees?” But thanks God the result was good! It feels so surreal that I can’t sleep well these days. Although it was chaotic and anxiety-inducing, I’m glad that I get to experience the process. I hope this program will be held annually so the other students also have the same opportunity. #BoldtoGoAbroad

(DDJ & LJPZ)

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