Online East Java Exploration (EJx) 2020 followed by various university students from all over the world

ITS Campus, ITS News – this pandemic is not a hitch for the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) to tighten the internationalization program. In cooperation with the State University (PTN) in East Java, the Directorate of Global Partnership (DKG) has held the Online Joint Short Program titled East Java Exploration (EJx), from 15th August to the 5th September.

Because of the pandemic condition, this activity is held online. This year the participants will be taken to visit some of the uniqueness of tourism in East Java province through a virtual tour, in addition to the main material of each university.

The consortium that has been implemented since 2017 is a form of cooperation between 10 PTN in East Java with five universities in West Australia who joined the Western Australia Consortium of East Java Universities Consortium (WAEJUC). “During the two periods of EJx, ITS got the mandate as a coordinator program in the field of mobility,” explained director of DKG ITS Dr. Maria Anityasari ST ME.

Initially, according to Maria, this consortium is only aimed at the cooperation of East Java and West Australia. However, Maria explained that the program was upgraded to be one form of cooperation between East Java and other foreign Sister Province governments, not only West Australia. “University involvement becomes a strategic capital for the government to establish relationships between people and provide constructive feedback for future policy making,” she said.

Prof Maria Anityasari Ph.D., director of ITS Global Partnership at the opening of East Java Exploration (EJx) online

For the participants themselves, the program was attended by a total of 57 students, of which 47 are international students and 10 students from Indonesia who are representatives of their university. “2020 is the year in which EJU (East Java Universities) expands cooperation by providing opportunities for more partner universities, among which there are students from Germany, America, and Slovakia,” said the lecturer of the Department of Industrial Engineering ITS.

Maria said that participants will also have the opportunity to collaborate to increase insight and experience through interesting learning that contains the main topic presented each university in East Java who was hosting. “In total there are 12 days of activity, opened with the opening at ITS as the first host and concluded with a presentation assessment at ITS too,” she explained.

The topics of learning that participants will follow include the History of Indonesia Independence Day which was performed by the UUPN Veteran East Java (UPNVJT), Smart City hosted by ITS, History & Indonesian Culture on Islamic New Year hosted by Sunan Ampel State Islamic University Surabaya (UINSA), Malangan Javanese and Walikan Language by Malang State University (UM), and Maintaining Mental Health During Covid-19 Pandemic by Airlangga University (Unair). Also, Start-up Ecosystem in Malang City by Brawijaya University (UB), Understanding Indonesian Language Diversity hosted by Surabaya State University (Unesa), Madura at Glance & Learning Madura Language by Madura Turnojoyo University, and Institutional Arrangement of Tobacco for Community Welfare and Tobacco for Health hosted by Jember State University (Unej).

As one of the programs that lead the Institute’s step towards a world-class university, EJx certainly has the full support of ITS party. Maria herself hopes this consortium will be able to bring a good impact to the entire university partner, “hopefully the university in East Java, including ITS, can thrive and be known around the world,” she concluded. (rys/rev/ITS Public Relations)