In the competitive academic world, outstanding achievements often take centre stage. However, it’s not every day that we hear inspiring success stories like those experienced by three students majoring in Japanese Language and Culture at Diponegoro University (Undip) – Qintara, Raihan, and Bening. The three of them have just achieved an impressive feat by getting a scholarship as well as a student exchange opportunity to Japan.
The story of these three students begins with their desire and dedication to the study of Japanese Language and Culture. They are not only committed to learning in class, but also actively involved in various activities that enrich their experience in understanding Japanese culture. These scholarships and student exchanges are the result of their consistent effort and hard work.
Qintara Kasih Rinda (Japanese Language and Culture Student 2022), has had a strong determination since junior high school to go to Japan. This determination continued into high school. Her involvement in Japanese extracurricular activities is a sign of her persistence. Her decision to choose the Japanese Language and Culture study programme at Diponegoro University brought her closer to her childhood dream. In her 4th semester, she decided to join the RISE programme (Ryukyus International Student Exchange) and successfully passed, leading her to study at the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. “This is to add to my experience of living in Japan, being able to get to know the culture of Japanese people directly, and being able to chat with Japanese people for a long time. Not only with Japanese people, but with international friends from various countries.” Qintara said.
Raihan Rafif Pane (Japanese Language and Culture Student 2023), has been targeting scholarships to study in Japan since before he entered university. His Japanese language skills, which have been relatively fluent since high school, make it easier for him to participate in various student exchange scholarships in Japan in college. He also targeted the Nikkensei scholarship which he felt could be achieved by him. His opportunity to participate in the Nikkensei scholarship felt like a miracle because he was offered directly by one of Diponegoro University’s Japanese Language and Culture Lecturers, Budi-sensei. Where this offer greatly facilitates him in taking care of the registration process. Because this scholarship is also classified as a university recommendation (U2U), he does not need to take a written selection test or interview. And this is where his footsteps were, he successfully passed the Nikkensei scholarship, leading him to pursue new knowledge at Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
Ayu Bening Mahardika T. (Japanese Language and Culture Student 2022), with a deep passion for cultural communication, has been active in various social volunteer activities as well as being an interpreter. Her involvement in the student exchange to Osaka University is a big step in her endeavour to strengthen the communication bridge between Indonesia and Japan. In addition, seeing the experience of previous MEXT senior awardees has motivated Bening to be able to attend lectures outside Diponegoro University and meet many new people from various countries. She also wants to provide a bridge between Diponegoro University and universities in Japan, “I also hope to be a student who during lectures can do things that are level up and can have more impact and benefits for the Faculty of Cultural Sciences and myself,” said Bening.
The success of Qintara, Raihan, and Bening in winning these scholarships and exchange opportunities is not only a personal achievement, but also a source of pride for Diponegoro University. They are living examples of dedication and hard work paying off. Through this experience, they will gain a deeper insight into Japanese culture, as well as invaluable skills that will strengthen their standing in the academic and professional world.
All three will be embarking on their journey to Japan in the coming months and we are all looking forward to seeing how they will utilise this opportunity to develop and make positive contributions in their fields of study. May these inspiring stories be an encouragement to other students to pursue their dreams and strive harder to achieve their goals.
With passion and dedication, Qintara, Raihan, and Bening have proven that with hard work and determination, limits are only in our minds. Congratulations to Qintara, Raihan, and Bening for this proud achievement, and best of luck in the future!