ITS Civil Engineering Department student Satryo Akbar Nurizki as a delegate selected to represent Indonesia at AFMAM Plus Japan 2023

ITS Campus, ITS News – Being an engineering student did not prevent Satryo Akbar Nurizki from excelling in the diplomatic field. In fact, this student from the Civil Engineering Department of the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) was successfully selected as the only engineering student in the ASEAN Foundation Model ASEAN Meeting (AFMAM) Plus Japan delegation, which took place in Jakarta for four days, until last Thursday (9/11).

Having won five awards from the Model United Nations (MUN) event, the student familiarly called Ryo said that this achievement had become one of the provisions for the AFMAM Plus Japan selection. “At first, I didn’t know this program existed, but after researching, I convinced myself to register,” he explained.

Sharing his story on the preparation process, Ryo admitted that all the preparations were only completed on the last day of the registration deadline. “One of the requirements is an essay, but because of limited time, I did this essay in just two hours,” said this class of 2022 student.

Apart from essays, Ryo also explained that several administrative requirements must be met, from passports and health insurance to certificates from the campus. “Thank God, I passed the file selection on October 4, 2023,” he added gratefully.

It was not an easy journey; the next stage was the interview, passed with great struggle. The reason is that Ryo has to undergo an interview at the same time as the class schedule. “Even though the class was asynchronous at that time, it felt very unique because I was speaking to myself in English among my friends who were taking the class,” he said.

Finally selected as one of the delegates among eight other Indonesian delegates, Ryo admitted that he was very proud to have succeeded in qualifying amidst tight competition. “Seeing that AFMAM is fully funded and has an ASEAN scale, I am very grateful to have had this opportunity,” he said.

This student, who is also active in the ITS MUN Club, admitted that he was involved in the ASEAN Community Pillar, focusing on the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) representing Vietnam. “The system in place is that each delegate will be allocated as a representative of another country outside of their citizenship to get to know that country further,” he explained.

Furthermore, Ryo explained that the issue raised at AFMAM Plus Japan was Empowering Young Leaders to Promote Education Through People-to-People Exchanges and Programs. Namely, how to increase educational equality in ASEAN through exchange programs.

The atmosphere of the AFMAM Plus Japan Meeting 2023, which took place at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta

Demonstrating the ideas raised, Ryo proposed increasing lecturer exchanges regarding internationalization and post-study lecturer capacity. “So far, most exchange programs only focus on students, but not on teaching elements,” he stressed.

At the GranDhika Iskandarsyah Hotel and the ASEAN Secretariat office in South Jakarta, the activity began with pre-conference training to provide a briefing on the ASEAN Meeting Model. Then, the second and third days continued with training simulation and the ASEAN Model Meeting directly in the ASEAN Hall. “The fourth day was filled with a trip to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and a cultural night at the GranDhika Hotel,” he explained.

Sharing their experiences at the cultural night, the Indonesian delegates agreed to present the Maumere dance. “This moment was inspiring because everyone present joined in the fun by dancing, not just those from Indonesia,” he said.

Not only that, this student from Sidoarjo admitted that he felt he knew more about the culture and characteristics of young people in ASEAN and Japan after participating in the program. “This is the first time I have met and made friends with Japanese people, so it motivates me even more to go there in the future,” he said.

Talking about the ASEAN Meeting Model is familiar to Ryo, who has often participated in MUN, both nationally and internationally. “So the socio-cultural interaction between ASEAN youth and Japan is the most impressive experience for me,” he said.

This program created by the ASEAN Foundation has left a delightful impression on Ryo. According to Ryo, this activity has also created an inclusive interaction space for participants to get to know each other’s different socio-cultural aspects.

According to his point of view, even though he is a future civil engineer candidate, MUN, which essentially raises multidimensional global issues, is still a suitable space for him to develop. “Remembering that as engineers, we will be implementers of ideas who understand social issues, policy-making, and diplomacy,” he concluded optimistically. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Faadhillah Syhab Azzahra