Discovering Coventry & Warwick University

I find myself immersed in a thrilling 4-month, September – December 2022, student exchange program at the University of Warwick, UK, a venture made possible through the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program, funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.

I live in a city in the middle of mainland England called Coventry, a lovely city located in metropolitan county named West Midlands. This city has a fairly high student population making it one of the most diverse places I’ve ever known.

Academically, my journey revolves around the Global Sustainable Development department. Two captivating courses, ‘Health and Sustainable Development’ and ‘Security, Sovereignty, and Sustainability in the Global Food System,’ have become the focal points of my academic exploration. I also enrolled into the Institute of Advance Teaching and Learning and taking Navigating Psychopathology—that I found it truly intriguing because I got to learn lot of new esoteric knowledge.

One of the things that makes this program interesting is learning the differences of education systems between Indonesia and the UK. Here, formal lectures are complemented by seminars, tutorials, and group discussions on separate days, urging students to cultivate both favorability and critical thinking. Each course comes equipped with diverse reading materials available a week prior to discussions. The culmination of these highly interactive sessions manifests in assignments involving scientific essays and case studies, awaiting submission by semester’s end.

As an IISMA awardee, my peers and I embraced the challenge of organizing cultural booths and volunteering activities. These endeavors aimed not only to showcase Indonesian culture but also to provide a vivid depiction of Indonesian exchange students, particularly the IISMA awardees. Beyond this, I seized the chance to become part of various society groups. The Language Society, or LangSoc, with its offering of more than six languages to enroll in, particularly caught my interest. Personally, I’m on a linguistic journey through French classes held twice a week. I’ve also become a member of other societies, including the Islamic Society and Knitting Society.

The most impactful aspect of this program has been its lessons in independence—managing time, finances, cooking, cleaning, and even laundry. Moreover, the program has facilitated connections within the international student community. Engaging with Indonesian students as part of PPI Warwick, participating in the election of a new chairman, sampling diverse cuisines, understanding local and international cultures, and exploring historical cities across the country have all contributed to a truly enriching experience.