Students, who take part in this program, will be challenged to become leaders for themselves, to make wise decisions, learn to collaborate, work together, and appreciate diversity. All of this will be experienced by students joining the PMMJakarta (ANTARA) - Students participating in the Independent Student Exchange Program (PMM) supported Indonesia's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic towards a better future, according to Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Anwar Makarim.
"Students, who take part in this program, will be challenged to become leaders for themselves, to make wise decisions, learn to collaborate, work together, and appreciate diversity. All of this will be experienced by students joining the PMM," Makarim noted in a written statement on Thursday.
According to the minister, PMM is one of the flagship programs of the Directorate General of Higher Education that provides opportunities for students to use their learning rights outside their study program and university.
In the second batch, the PMM participants will partake in a learning process in diversity for semesters 3, 5, and 7 at universities located on a different island than their origin universities and domicile.
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Through this learning, a dynamic meeting discussion will be initiated among students, lecturers, and universities through academic and non-academic activities pertaining to the cultural diversity of the local area, Makarim stated.
"This meeting discussion is one of the hallmarks of PMM 2. I believe that the younger students, who take part in the program, are Pancasila students; prospective leaders, who will encourage recovery from the pandemic; and then help Indonesia to take a giant leap into the future," he explained.
Makarim emphasized the importance of studying outside the campus while affirming that it was every student's right. Hence, he urged university leaders to facilitate their students to participate in PMM 2 in an effort to gain knowledge and prepare them to become future leaders.
He believes this opportunity can help to hone leadership skills, as the participants will encounter a new environment, culture, friends, and challenges. At this point, the students' resilience will be tested.
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In addition, a leader must be able to collaborate and work together, respect differences, and appreciate the diversity that exists in society. The participants will face all these while studying outside their home regions, and the students will become disseminators of the values of tolerance and togetherness that strengthen the spirit of global diversity, Makarim remarked.
He affirmed that another characteristic of PMM 2 is the Nusantara Module activity encompassing values of four semesters credit systems (SKS). Such activities will help students to experience diversity that is packaged into several special activities.
Activities in the Nusantara Module focus on diversity, specifically exploration activities for cultural, religious, and historical diversity in the receiving university area, inspiration activity to seek inspiration from regional inspirational figures, reflection activity through discussion, talk shows, documentation, and writing, as well as social contributions in various activities.
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Translator: Indriani, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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