Students participating in PMM receive full funding from the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education, covering admissions, living expenses, and other accommodation costs.

Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) is one of the universities that has accepted students for the Independent Student Exchange Program 2023 (PMM 3). This year, ITB is welcoming the largest number of exchange students from various universities located outside the island of Java, with a total of 289 students. These students will pursue their studies at ITB in programs aligned with their interests.

The program commenced with the pick-up of PMM 3 students from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Bandung on Thursday (17/8/2023). During this process, they were accompanied by liaison officers (LOs) who are ITB students.

Upon arrival, all PMM 3 students gathered at ITB’s Ganesha Campus for a warm welcome ceremony. Subsequently, they were directed to their respective residences. All PMM 3 students are scheduled to begin their classes at ITB on Monday (21/8/2023), alongside regular students.

On Sunday (20/8/2023), the day before the start of college, all PMM 3 students were given an introduction to the ITB campus area through a campus tour led by their respective LO guides. This activity was opened by Muhammad Duta Wibawa Mawardi (Mathematics 2020), who also served as the coordinator representative of the universities participating in this program. During the event, he conveyed the objective of the Campus Tour activity, which is to help PMM 3 students prepare for the upcoming college classes. He expressed his hope that PMM 3 students would gain a better understanding and become familiar with the various buildings and classrooms they would be using for their lectures.

ITB’s LO representatives – Fauren Athira Khanza (Mathematics 2022), Diaz Shakira Hana (Visual Communication Design 2021), and Ahmad Habibie Marjan (Information System and Technology 2022) – shared the same sentiment. “Today, our primary focus is on showcasing the campus area, especially since classes are set to begin tomorrow. We aim to ensure that all PMM 3 students become well-acquainted with their respective classrooms and buildings that will be used for their studies. Also, we hope that PMM students will enjoy their journey at ITB and gain a deeper appreciation for the diversity that exists beyond their hometowns,” said one of the LO representatives.

The PMM 3 students were divided into four large groups, each guided by two LOs on a campus tour. The LOs introduced the campus area, starting from East Campus Center Field (Lapangan Cinta), Civil Engineering, West Lecture Hall (GKUB), Labtek V, East Lecture Hall (GKUT), Plaza Widya, SBM ITB, Library, Sports Facility (Saraga ITB), and other ITB buildings or facilities.

This activity received a positive response from the PMM students, as expressed by students from Fajar Makassar University, as well as Fitra Ramadhan and Ahmad Supandi from Handayani Makassar University. “We are grateful for the opportunity to experience learning outside of our own university. This opportunity allows us to explore new aspects of life at different campuses, especially ITB, where the culture is distinct from our hometowns. Additionally, we aim to deepen our knowledge in the fields we are currently studying, and we believe that ITB can assist us in achieving this goal,” said a representative of the PMM students.

Reporter: Iko Sutrisko Prakasa Lay (Mathematics 2021)

Translator: Sherina Wijaya

Editor: Vera C.U.