The student exchange program of the Faculty of Agriculture, UGM, at Gyeongsang National University (GNU), Jinju, South Korea, is facilitated by the Asian International Mobility for Students (AIMS) program. Representing the AIMS GNU Fall Semester 2023 exchange students are Sausan Syadzafie Shafar, commonly known as Sausan, along with another student from the Faculty of Agriculture, UGM. The student exchange period at GNU was spent amidst the transition from cool late summer to windy autumn and early bone-chilling winter. Experiencing a temperate climate is certainly not common in tropical climates like Indonesia, making this student exchange opportunity highly valuable. The different climate also brings about a diverse biodiversity found in South Korea, which is quite different from Indonesia, presenting an intriguing aspect for a student of the Faculty of Agriculture. Classroom and extracurricular activities provided excellent opportunities to understand the essence of student life and South Korean society.
The student exchange at GNU fosters strong friendships not only with local South Korean students but also with international students from France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, China, India, and others. According to Sausan, this student exchange program provides an opportunity to broaden one’s horizons by being exposed to different cultural backgrounds and conditions, both in daily life and academics. Besides cultural and academic understanding, such golden opportunities also build confidence, adaptability, communication skills, and expand networks that can enhance future career prospects.
This synergy is a strong evidence to achieve the goal of SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals,