In Semester 1 2023, we held the International Relations Program (IRP) in Yogyakarta for the second time. We partnered with Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) to host this program. This semester, we welcomed eight students from The Australian National University, La Trobe University, Murdoch University, University of Southern Queensland, and Western Sydney University. The majority of the students were supported by the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan mobility grants.
In this program, alongside their classes at UGM, students had an option to undertake a professional placement (internship) component with a local host organisation. This semester, one of the three students who undertook the internship was Gavin Nguyen from Western Sydney University. Gavin interned with Travelxism, a start-up that specialises in delivering innovative tourism potential research, developing tourism communities, hosting various workshops, and digitising destinations and branding. In his time at Travelxism he also made connection with whom he was able to meet new people and share experiences and knowledge.
Within his semester in Yogyakarta, Hammad Shahin, one of our IRP students took a chance to volunteer in the 2023 CAUSINDY (Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth). He volunteered as an EFL coordinator. His work involved arranging the event agenda and coordinating with partners for the success of the event. In this volunteering activity, Hammad expanded his connections and demonstrated his enthusiasm in Australia and Indonesia relations.
The International Relations Program was wrapped up with a farewell dinner in which our semester program students shared their experience studying in Yogyakarta. We are proud of our students’ accomplishments this semester. We would like to offer our congratulations to our students to have completed their semester program with ACICIS. Good luck in your future endeavour and sampai jumpa lagi!