UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga bid farewell to inbound students of the Independent Domestic Student Exchange (PMM-DN) program on Wednesday, January 19, 2022. The event entitled “Sayonara (Farewell) of Class Inbound PMM-DN UNAIR 2021” was held online via conference and offline in AMERTA Room 4th Floor, UNAIR Campus C Management Office.
The inbound participants, all of whom are from outside Java, had participated in academic and non-academic activities at Universitas Airlangga for approximately two months. A total of approximately 400 students took part in the online program, and 41 students took the PMM-DN offline. They come from 21 universities that are also part of the Nusantara Module program.
Prof. Dr. Sukardiman, MS., Apt., Director of UNAIR Academic Affairs as well as PIC of the Independent Student Exchange Program, explained that the participants of the Nusantara Module program had participated in several activities such as the inspirational class with the Governor of East Java, Dra. Hj. Khofifah Indar Parawansa, M.So. In addition, Nusantara Module participants also carried out community service activities by providing education to elementary school students affected by the eruption of Mount Semeru in Lumajang.
Moreover, the Nusantara Module participants also had the opportunity to get to know the local culture of East Java, especially of the Tengger Tribe. “I hope that what you got here can be disseminated to your respective campuses. Take into account the good sides, and leave the bad ones,” said Prof. Sukardiman to the participants.
Vice-Rector for Academic, Student, and Alumni Affairs, Prof. Dr. Bambang Sektiari Lukiswanto, drh., DEA, DVM, in his speech, also advised that PMM-DN participants can take valuable lessons during the program.
“It (PMM-DN program, ed) also provides greater insight into how rich we are as a nation, how vast our homeland is, and how important it is for us to be able to understand the various customs, cultures, and traditions of each area,” said Prof. Bambang.
Furthermore, Prof. Bambang hoped that the interactions during this program could make the participants understand and tolerate each other so that they can increase cohesiveness as part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. “A great nation will never be able to become great as long as we only prioritize our own groups and ourselves,” he concluded. (*)
Author: Agnes Ikandani
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
