USU PR - The Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) has once again shown its commitment in encouraging campus internationalization by holding the Socialization of the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) 2025. This event was held online via Zoom Meeting, on Monday (11/18/2024).

In his remarks, USU Vice Rector I, Dr. Edy Ikhsan, SH, MA, conveyed the importance of the IISMA program as an opportunity for students to gain academic and cultural experiences at world-class universities. Over the past four years, more than 47 USU students have had the opportunity to study at world-renowned universities, including in Asia, Europe, America, and Australia.

“Last year, we set a record with 18 participants who passed the selection. This shows a significant increase and is clear evidence of USU's seriousness in supporting this program,” he said.

In line with that, Prof. Dr. Rudy Sofyan SS., M.Hum as Head of the USU Office of International Affairs (KUI) explained the importance of the IISMA program as part of the campus internationalization efforts. The Head of KUI USU emphasized that they will provide full support, from socialization to assistance in document preparation and selection.

“IISMA opens up great opportunities for students to gain academic experience abroad, build international networks, and introduce USU on the global stage,” he explained.

One of the interesting moments in this event was an experience sharing session from Mutiara Daulay, a 2021 Public Administration student, who became an IISMA 2023 awardee at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. In her presentation, Mutiara shared various valuable experiences during the IISMA program, both in terms of academics and culture.

“This opportunity not only enriched my knowledge but also built a global network and introduced me to Indonesian culture. I hope more USU students can get this opportunity in the future,” said Mutiara.

KUI USU provides detailed information about the requirements and selection stages of the IISMA 2025 program. Students are required to fulfill a number of criteria, such as a minimum GPA of 3.0, a certificate of English language proficiency, and a recommendation from the Head of Study Program. In addition, students are asked to prepare supporting documents such as academic transcripts, statement letters, and language test results.

The implementation of this socialization is expected to increase student participation, prepare them carefully to face the selection, and strengthen USU's position in the international arena. With full support from the academic community and inspiration from IISMA alumni, this socialization is expected to produce more outstanding students who are ready to compete in the era of globalization.