Valuable Experience of FIB Student in the National Student Exchange Program at Universitas Airlangga 2025

• Posted by: Admin
• Sabtu, 6 September 2025
• Has been read 38 time(s)

My name is I Gde Dharmendra Gandhi, and I am currently a 5th-semester student. In the 4th semester, I had an extraordinary opportunity to participate in the FIB Student Exchange Program across Indonesia at Universitas Airlangga, an experience for which I am truly grateful. Before the actual lectures began, the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) at Universitas Airlangga held a warm and informative welcoming meeting. This meeting was attended by us, the exchange students from various universities across Indonesia, and of course, representatives and teaching staff from Universitas Airlangga. The atmosphere of the meeting was very cordial, leaving a very positive first impression.

During my studies at Universitas Airlangga, I took a total of 20 credits (SKS). Of this amount, four credits were for courses from the History Department, which provided me with new insights into Indonesian and world historiography. Meanwhile, the remaining 16 credits were for courses from the Japanese Literature and Language Department, allowing me to deepen my understanding of Japanese culture and linguistics. The learning process there was very enjoyable, mainly because the lecturers were known to be friendly, kind, and had a very open approach to teaching. As an exchange student, I never felt any distance or differential treatment between myself and the instructors, allowing me to ask questions and discuss comfortably. Interestingly, for choukai (listening) and kaiwa (speaking) courses, the lessons were directly guided by native Japanese language teachers from Japan, an advantage we also have at Universitas Udayana.

At FIB Universitas Airlangga, I also observed the presence of many international students, which added to the diversity and richness of social interaction, similar to the conditions at FIB Universitas Udayana. In addition to academic activities, I also took the time to visit the Universitas Airlangga library. My first impression was that the library was very spacious, modern, and had such a cool and comfortable atmosphere. There, a very complete and diverse collection of books was available, along with many computers that could be easily accessed by students to complete assignments or simply search for references. Moving slightly from the academic area, the canteens at Universitas Airlangga also offered an extraordinary variety of culinary options. This is because each faculty, such as the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics and Business, and the Faculty of Psychology, has its own canteen, creating an abundance of tempting food choices.

The classroom facilities and learning infrastructure at Universitas Airlangga are also very modern and supportive of the teaching and learning process for both instructors and students. The classrooms are equipped with adequate technology, creating a conducive learning environment. What's even more interesting is that I found the names of the rooms in FIB used the names of prominent figures from linguistics and literature, adding an educational and inspiring touch to every corner of the building.

In any case, this opportunity has truly been invaluable to me. Not only because I gained improved academic knowledge and broader understanding, but also because this program trained me to adapt to a new environment different from my home campus. I was able to acquire new perspectives and views on how to learn, interact, and organize in another university setting. I am very grateful to have been one of the students who had the chance to participate in this exchange program, as I gained many valuable insights and experiences, as well as expanded my network of friends with students from various regions. Therefore, I highly recommend that other friends participate in similar programs to discover and experience many things outside of their own campus environment.