Written by Dr Farah Zaini
Twenty-five students from the Student Representative of Development Planning and Management (SRDPM), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), recently took part in a student mobility programme titled “Unity Beyond Borders: UNIMAS–Universitas Indonesia (UI)”, held at Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, from 20 to 25 February 2026.
Organised by SRDPM Cohort 2025/2026, the programme was accompanied by Dr Farah Zaini, programme coordinator of the Development Planning and Management programme at UNIMAS. The initiative aimed to provide students with international exposure while strengthening academic collaboration and intercultural understanding between participants from both institutions.
Throughout the programme, students engaged in a range of academic and experiential learning activities together with Universitas Indonesia students. These included the official opening ceremony of the UNIMAS–UI collaboration, Global Classroom: Lecture in a Hall 2.0, the Academic Discourse Series, campus exploration sessions, as well as interactive sports and recreational activities.
In addition, the delegation visited prominent landmarks including Monumen Nasional, the National Museum of Indonesia, and Masjid Istiqlal, providing opportunities for students to conduct field observations on urban development and socio-cultural dynamics in Indonesia.
The visit to Bank Sampah Manggala Jingga located in Kampung Berkah, South Jakarta also provided students with valuable exposure to community-based waste management initiatives that promote environmental sustainability and circular economy practices.
Programme Director Abang Nuradha Azri Abang Nuradzlan said the programme provided valuable exposure for students to understand development practices from a regional perspective while encouraging meaningful academic exchange between the two institutions.
Meanwhile, Dr Farah Zaini emphasised that international mobility programmes play an important role in broadening students’ perspectives, enhancing critical thinking skills and strengthening regional academic networks among ASEAN universities.
The programme is expected to serve as a foundation for future collaboration between UNIMAS and Universitas Indonesia, further strengthening regional engagement in higher education.
FSSH – A Partner for Social Change