EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, LONDON – The Muhammadiyah Special Branch Board of the United Kingdom and Ireland (PCIM UK and Ireland), together with Mata Garuda Britain and Ireland (MGBI) of the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), held a Pre-Departure Briefing for Indonesian students preparing to pursue their studies in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The online session, held Sunday (13/9), brought together the prospective students from various funding arrangements. Participants included LPDP scholarship recipients, students receiving other scholarships, and those financing their studies independently.
Inde Dian Aprilyani Azir, Chairperson of PCIM UK and Ireland, appreciated the initiative. She said speakers with firsthand experience studying in the UK and Ireland could give prospective students a more concrete picture of what to expect before beginning their academic journey.
“What makes this session different is the experience of the speakers. They did not simply explain the guidelines. They also shared personal experience from their time studying there. This will certainly give students a useful reference,” she said.
Zulkarnain Masyhur, Chairperson of MGBI, echoed the point. He said the Pre-Departure Briefing complements the technical information prospective students receive through official channels before departure.
“Technical information is usually available through official channels. What may not be readily available, however, is a picture of what the first few days will actually be like after arriving at the destination. That is something they can gain through sharing sessions with students who have already studied in the UK or Ireland,” he said.
Preparing for Different Student Experiences
Susana Widyaningsih, Secretary General of PCIM UK and Ireland, said the diverse circumstances of prospective students were one reason the organizers invited speakers from different backgrounds.
She noted that the needs of students travelling alone can differ significantly from those of students bringing a spouse or their families. The experiences shared during the session were to provide a broader range of perspective.
“There cannot be a single answer for everyone. That is what we want to show by bringing a spouse or their families. The experiences shared during the session were therefore intended to provide a broader range of perspectives,” Susana said.
The session featured several speakers, including Irnawati Bahtiar, chairwoman of PCIM UK and Ireland’s MPKSDI and secretary-general of MGBI; Thareq Barasabha, secretary of PCIM UK and Ireland’s MPPK and chairman of PPI Oxford; S Bela Nagari, a member of PCIM UK and Ireland’s MPPK; Deslaely Putranti, secretary of PCIM UK and Ireland’s MPKSDI; and Guntur Maulana Zamroni, a member of PCIM UK and Ireland’s MEK-AUM. (Bhisma)
