Great Insights from Malaysia

Two students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Economic Development, Universitas Syiah Kuala currently finished their studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as the exchange student, they are Rifdah Khalishah and T. Aisya Humaida. Sponsored by the IISMA Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards program, they studied in Malaysia for one semester, 17 October 2022 – 26 February 2023.

Each of them chose different scope of the study. Rifdah took Faculty of Science and Humanities, English Language Studies, while Aisha took Faculty of Science and Humanities, Social Sciences (Media Communication). Following is a short interview result regarding their study experience in Malaysia.

“In terms of study, usually both Indonesian and Malaysian classes use a lecturing teaching style where the lecturer will present materials first, then will ask opinions from students about the related topics and discuss them together. However, one of my classes at UKM has a tutoring class after the regular class and that is new for me. The tutoring class is reflective. We sit in groups for one hour and discuss issues that are mentioned during the regular class. The tutoring class is enjoyable because it strengthens the relationship between the students and the lectures, especially with my classmates. We all sit in groups and do fun activities related to the topic”. Rifdah said.

While Aisha, who took a different class, also feels the same. “Systematically the classes here are not so different from my home university. The lecturer will give a lecture and at the end of the class, the lecturer will ask students’ opinions, depending on the topic of that day. Especially one of the classes I took, has a tutorial class. During that class, students will be asked to sit in groups and will discuss the given topic with the group members. I found this class enjoyable because the lecturer and students can build a closer relationship. The lecturers and friends here are approachable and friendly. It makes me easier to adapt to the new environment”.

“The only difference in UKM is the final exam. The final exams are mostly replaced with group projects and it is worth a huge percentage of marks. In Indonesia, the grading components only comes from regular assignment/quiz, mid-term exam, and final exams. On the other hand, UKM’s grading components vary and depend on individual assignments, group assignments, quizzes, and final exams/projects. Since some courses in UKM ends with group projects, the grading percentage could be worth 50%”, Rifdah said.

“For the grading system, the lecturer will give individual projects, group projects, or quizzes, instead of giving the final exam”, Aisha added.

Outside the class, both said that they attended several activities like attending the UKM’s anniversary, attending the opening event for student-athletes, exploring the mini market and food stalls in different dormitories, and many more. There are also different sports fields that Malaysian students or International students of UKM can sign up in and play.

“The university has many fields of sports, and swimming is what I enjoy the most!” Rifdah mentioned.

She also stated that unfortunately exchange students are not allowed to be part of any student organizations due to their short period of stay. However, they are allowed to participate in events of UKM.

“One of the organizations that I regularly participated in is UKM Global. It is a student organization that is responsible for planning memorable trips and activities for exchange students of UKM. The committee will take us on a trip to different parts of Malaysia to explore its history and culture. Other than that, they will also allow us to voluntarily explore night markets in Malaysia, organize international food festivals, and celebrate big holidays such as Christmas, Deepavali, and Chinese New Year. The organization aims to make exchange students get along with others and know more about the variety of cultures in Malaysia”.

“For me, this is like a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I don’t want to take it for granted. Through all the exciting journeys, I believe that I am more confident in talking to people of different nationalities. Other than learning about Malaysia, I also get to ask questions related to my friends’ countries”.

“Moreover, the best thing that I like about being here is the environment and the accessibility to public transportation. Although a lot of people might think that Indonesia is the same as Malaysia, it is not entirely correct. There are some things in Malaysia that we do not find in Indonesia. For example, Malaysia’s population consists of 3 different ethnicities and they are Melayu, Chinese, and Indian; but Indonesia stands alone. The people in Malaysia are caring and welcoming and it feels like home. In addition, the public transportation here is very overwhelming and helps people like me to roam around the city. I do hope that I can come back here for another purpose”, Rifdah said.

“Experiences we gained here during being an exchange student and volunteer, like the study experiences, the environment, the easy access to public transport, the comfort of living, and others, I will cherish them for as long as I can,” Aisha closed.