Franky Sanjaya Galingging, a student of the Soil Science Study Program (2022) at the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada University (Faperta UGM), had the opportunity to be one of the awardees in the Six Universities Initiative Japan Indonesia Service Learning Program (SUIJI-SLP) 2024. This program is a collaboration of a consortium of six prestigious universities in Japan and Indonesia, including Ehime University, Kagawa University, Kochi University, IPB University, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and Hasanuddin University.
The SUIJI-SLP program offers students the chance to learn about agricultural systems and culture through a community service approach. Franky participated in this program for 17 days at the Shodoshima Site in Japan. During the program, he not only learned about community-based agriculture but also immersed himself in Japanese cultural values such as ethics, hospitality, and the way of life of the local people.
“During the SUIJI program in Japan, I learned many things in the field of agriculture at Kagawa University, Japan. I also learned about the culture and lifestyle of the Japanese people through the community service system emphasized in the program,” said Franky.
He also highlighted the challenges and uniqueness of the program. “What was very interesting about this program was when I entered an atmosphere that was 100% different from before, which required me to be adaptive and think creatively.”
Additionally, Franky realized the vast potential that could be gained through collaboration between Indonesia and Japan in the agricultural sector.
“I found many new insights that made me realize that there is potential prosperity to be gained if Indonesia and Japan can collaborate more in various sectors, especially agriculture,” he added.
He also appreciated the hospitality of the Japanese people, which left a deep impression on him. “The Japanese people are very friendly, and the way they speak to others is very respectful,” Franky shared.
Franky hopes that this program will continue in the future. Through this experience, he gained many new perspectives and realized that collaboration between Indonesia and Japan holds great potential for the agricultural sector. Moreover, he hopes that the SUIJI-SLP program will continue to be implemented, as it brings positive impacts to both countries. “I hope this program will be sustainable because the impact it brings to both parties is mutually beneficial,” he stated.
Franky’s participation in the SUIJI-SLP 2024 not only brings pride to the Faculty of Agriculture UGM but also inspires other students to pursue international opportunities and develop their potential on a global scale.
The involvement of students from the Faculty of Agriculture in this activity is part of the efforts by the Faculty of Agriculture UGM to achieve the SDGs, including SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Author: Alkhansa Khairunnisa
Editor: Agrit Kirana Bunda