From the University of the Philippines, Madi, or Madelene Arcilla, is a BS Biology major in Zoology student that took upon Agronomy during her study in Faculty of Agriculture Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. She began her semester in August of 2024 until December 2024. She explained, the students at the University of the Philippines are taught how to emerge in excellence, which is not only about how high one’s GPA is, but also reflected by how someone perceives the world and how they act upon those perceptions. In short, how one upholds honor. This is why Madi joined Asian International Mobility for Students (AIMS) program. She believes that learning cultural diversity is a step in a better understanding of people and society. Furthermore, to have the experience of putting herself in a very much different environment than she had growing up would help her growth for independence, individual skills, social skills, and most of all, a better understanding of various aspects of life such as self, education, race, and society. read more

Takuma Onose, a student of Department of Biological Production at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Japan, had never travelled abroad before, including personal trips, as he had always stayed in his home country of Japan. However, motivated by a desire to improve his English skills and witness firsthand the differences between Japan and other countries, he decided to participate in the Asian International Mobility for Students (AIMS) program at Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia. During his time at UGM, he took six courses and three practicums to enrich his knowledge, with the Plant Breeding course leaving a strong impression on him. read more

A student majoring in Agricultural Economics at Gyeoungsang National University, South Korea, Jinwon Gang, participated in Asian International Mobility for Student (AIMS) program at Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Through this program, he experienced unique academic opportunities and immersed himself in a vibrant new culture. His time at UGM became an essential turning point in his life, filled with meaningful learning and personal growth.

Studying at UGM offered him an opportunity to explore a different field beyond his primary major. Specifically, he participated in an Agricultural Microbiology course, which turned out to be both challenging and fascinating. While his background in Agricultural Economics primarily involved data analysis and market trends, UGM introduced him to the microscopic aspects of agriculture, particularly the role of microorganisms in soil health and crop productivity. read more