Four UBD Students Granted One-Year Study Scholarship in Indonesia

Bandar Seri Begawan, 04 Syawal 1437/09 July 2016 (MINA) – Four Bruneian students for the first time will soon attend in a one-year study programme in Indonesian prestigious varsities after their applications for the country’s Darmasiswa Scholarship have been approved, an official from the Indonesia’s embassy confirmed Friday.

Katherine Kusuma, the embassy’s second secretary, said a total of four students from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, (UBD) who applied for the Darmasiswa Indonesian Scholarship Programme for the 2016/2017 academic year last February, have all been selected.

The students, who are from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, are Nur Syazana H M Suif, Muhammad Muzhafar Mahadi, Norrafidah Hj Amin and Nur Atikah Hj Haslan.

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They will be among the more than 600 international students who received the scholarship, Brunei Times reorted.

“They are selected (for the scholarship) because of their enthusiasm to learn more about Indonesia,” said Katherine.

She said one student will be studying in the University of Indonesia (UI), in the outskirts of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, while three others will be going to Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in West Java.

The programme will start in September.

Introduced in 1974, this scholarship covers living costs, book allowances, local transport, medical or healthcare expenses and pocket money.

Offered by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture in cooperation with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the non-degree scholarship is open to over 750 students around the globe for two semesters, during which they can study Indonesian language, arts, music, and crafts at one of 54 designated Indonesian higher education institutions.

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Last year, there were 795 recipients from countries such as the United States, Netherlands, Belgium, China, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, South Korea, France, Poland, Thailand and Vietnam.

The main purpose of the Darmasiswa programme is to promote and increase the interest in the language and culture of Indonesia among the youth of other countries. It has also been designed to provide stronger cultural links and understanding among participating countries. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)