Sleman, 14 June 2024-A total of eight students from the Arabic Literature Study Program of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) underwent an internship program at the Sleman Regency Ministry of Religious Affairs. This program lasted for approximately three months from the beginning of March 2024 to mid-June 2024. This program provides an opportunity for students to develop hard and soft skills that will be needed in the world of work. The tasks given to them are quite diverse, ranging from administrative and archive management, providing counseling, public services, and covering activities.

To maximize the learning experience, the students were divided into several sections based on their field of work. Four were assigned to the Hajj and Umrah Services Section, two to the Madrasah Education Section, one to the Islamic Public Guidance Section, and one to the Public Relations Section.

The internship experience provided students with valuable insights into the mechanisms and procedures that apply in government institutions, as well as allowing them to apply academic knowledge in practical situations. One of the interns expressed his experience:

“This internship program is a very valuable experience for me. Not only can I try to apply the knowledge I learn on campus to the world of work, I also gain knowledge and experience about the dynamics of the real world of work. I learned many things here that were not taught in college. This program provides a new perspective that is very valuable for my future career development.”

These statements reflect the success of the internship program in achieving its goal of equipping students with the practical skills and knowledge needed to succeed in an increasingly complex and competitive professional environment.

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The Japanese Language and Culture Study Program welcomed Yuki Murakami, a Master’s student in the Development Economics Study Program from Kobe University, Japan, as an intern. The internship lasted for sixteen days from February 13th to 29th, with Masato Nakahara, Ph.D., as the supervisor lecturer.

During his internship at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yuki Murakami participated in various academic activities, including assisting in teaching classes, correcting exercises, and attending academic program activities. As a teaching assistant in the Japanese conversation class (Kaiwa), Murakami explained and practiced how Japanese people speak well and naturally, from basic knowledge to Japanese speaking habits. Furthermore, in the Japanese Thought History class, he assisted the lecturer in explaining how Japan found solutions to catch up with other countries after the implementation of sakoku (鎖国), which was Japan’s policy of isolation from the outside world.

Throughout his two-week stay in Indonesia, the intern student who was also known as Murakami-san shared his interesting experiences. At first, he was worried that the classes he taught would be considered unattractive by students. However, he was surprised that the students were active in class and easily became friendly with him. For him, feeling warmly accepted in a new place is an unforgettable feeling. Likewise, for the students, Murakami’s contribution as an intern student in the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program for two weeks has been inspiring and has provided new insights which become an unforgettable experience for Japanese Language and Culture students.