A total of 15 students from Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) have successfully been awarded the prestigious Indonesia International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) 2023 scholarships to study at top international universities. These students represent nine UPH study programs across the Lippo Village and Medan campuses, including International Relations, Product Design, Architecture, Music, Law, Management, Psychology, Electrical Engineering, and Visual Communication Design. They will depart this year to pursue a semester-long academic experience equivalent to 20 credit units.  

IISMA is a program under ‘Kampus Merdeka’ initiative by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek). The program aims to foster competition, and knowledge development, as well as to provide international exposure through studying at renowned universities abroad. The IISMA scholarship covers registration fees, tuition, accommodation, living allowances, airfare, and visas. 

These students successfully went through a rigorous selection process and have been awarded the IISMA scholarships at top universities worldwide based on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2023. 

To appreciate the IISMA scholarship awardees, UPH Global Partnerships & International Office (GPIO) held an awardees gathering on Friday, April 28, 2023. 

During the event, the recipients of the IISMA 2023 scholarships had the opportunity to receive guidance from Giovani Prayitno, who serves as the Manager of UPH GPIO. In addition, they also benefited from valuable tips and first-hand experiences shared by the alumni of IISMA 2022, covering various aspects such as academic studies, cultural immersion, and travel. 

In his message to the students, Giovani encouraged them to be prepared for an enriching learning experience while studying abroad. She also emphasized their role in representing Indonesia and expressed his hope that they would embrace the numerous opportunities provided by the scholarship. “I hope you guys enjoy the ride,” he added. 

During the event, the students shared their personal experiences and impressions of their journey toward receiving the IISMA scholarships. 

One of the scholarship recipients, Jasmine Belle, who is enrolled in the Music program at UPH, expressed her gratitude towards the GPIO UPH team for their invaluable support throughout the IISMA application process. 

“To be eligible for the IISMA scholarship, we had to undertake various preparations, including compiling documents and meeting mandatory requirements such as academic transcripts, curriculum vitae (CV), letters of application, recommendation letters, essays, English proficiency tests, and interviews. Throughout this process, the UPH GPIO team provided us with substantial support. They even set up a communication platform for us to address any inquiries related to the IISMA application, and their responsiveness was commendable. They also assisted us in preparing the necessary documents, ensuring that we met the specified deadlines,” Jasmine shared. 

Rafael Benaya Sarmanella also shared his experience in obtaining the IISMA scholarship. He emphasized the importance of having a mindset of perseverance and discipline to achieve this prestigious scholarship. Now, his perseverance has paid off and he is excited to embark on this new journey.  

“As a future designer, it is essential for me to master various techniques and knowledge that will be highly useful in developing products both domestically and internationally. This program allows me to exchange knowledge and build strong relationships with the international design community. I am optimistic that this experience will be a journey to deepen my knowledge and skills in the field of product design,” expressed Rafael, who will be departing for the University of Melbourne in Australia. 

Edmund Serrano Budiarta, an Architecture study program student who received a scholarship to University College London (UCL), shared his opinion that IISMA offers a valuable opportunity for Indonesian students to study abroad and expand their horizons. 

“Through the IISMA 2023 scholarship, I hope to enhance my abilities and gain valuable experience in the field of architecture. Additionally, I look forward to expanding my international network, immersing myself in new cultures, and, of course, making new friends,” expressed Edmund. 

Congratulations to 15 UPH students who have been awarded the IISMA 2023 Scholarships: 

1. Avani Jaikishin Hiranandani, UPH Lippo Village – Management (Grenoble Ecole De Management, Prancis). 
2. Careninna Angela Wongkar UPH Lippo Village – Psychology (Katholike Universiet Leuven, Belgia). 
3. Caroline Sharon Sulimro, UPH Lippo Village – Psychology (Hanyang University, Korea Selatan). 
4. Charissa Myandra Amirah UPH Lippo Village – Visual Communications Design (Hanyang University, Korea Selatan). 
5. Chyntia Aurelya Ganadi, UPH Medan – Management (The University of Edinburgh, Inggris). 
6. Edmund Serrano Budiarta, UPH Lippo Village – Architecture (University College London, Inggris). 
7. Eleanor Putri Patonedi, UPH Lippo Village – Conservatory of Music (University of Padua, Italia). 
8. Gloria Miracle Melodi Imanuel, UPH Lippo Village – International Relations (Newcastle University, Inggris). 
9. Jasmine Belle, UPH Lippo Village – Conservatory of Music (Yale University, Amerika Serikat). 
10. Jessica Angelia Osmond, UPH Lippo Village – Conservatory of Music (University of Padua, Italia). 
11. Karen Irene Ekaputra, UPH Lippo Village – Product Design (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spanyol). 
12. Nadine Christabelle, UPH Lippo Village – Management (Korea University, Korea Selatan). 
13. Nicholas Kevin Setiadi, UPH Lippo Village – Electrical Engineering (Nanyang Technological University, Singapura). 
14. Rafael Benaya Sarmanella, UPH Lippo Village – Product Design (University of Melbourne, Australia). 
15. Shelley Budiman, UPH Medan – Law (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spanyol). 

UPH Global Partnerships & International Office  

UPH Global Partnerships & International Office facilitates a variety of programs that equip and prepare students to become global citizens with global insight. UPH will continue to provide opportunities for its students to gain international knowledge and improve their quality through a network of strong and broad strategic partnerships with universities around the world. Let us now join UPH! For more information, please contact Student Consultants at 0811-1709-901 or register here.