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

Chiharu Soejima, a third-year student at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan, is majoring in Agricultural Environmental Engineering. She is currently studying hydrology, soil mechanics, environmental geotechnics, structural mechanics, surveying, design, and data analysis. Since childhood, Chiharu has been deeply interested in solving global issues such as poverty, war, and inequality. However, as she delved deeper into her studies, she began to question whether her actions could truly address these issues and whether she is capable of making a meaningful contribution to global challenges. Determined to find answers, Chiharu decided to step out of her comfort zone and spend six months in Indonesia through the Asian International Mobility for Students (AIMS) program. read more