Students from Indonesia gain international experience in Maastricht
Maastricht University is one of the partners of IISMA, an Indonesian programme that sends students abroad to expand their horizons and get acquainted with Western education. Last August, eleven talented young students arrived in South Limburg. Shortly before their return to Indonesia, we spoke to Alyssa Yaffanda and Grace Octovella, both from Java.
What appeals to them most about UM? Neither needs to think long about the answer. “Working in small groups with other students,” Yaffanda says. “It forces you to prepare in advance and means there’s nowhere to hide. You’re expected to take part in the discussions. It’s not always easy, but I do have the feeling that it helps me to remember more, retain more knowledge.”
Octovella nods. “In Indonesia, we’re used to the professor or lecturer standing at the front of the hall and lecturing at us. My thoughts tend to wander, which doesn’t happen in Maastricht. What I also really like here is that you can discuss your questions directly with the tutor. It’s a very interactive way of studying.”
International
In other words: they are enthusiastic about Problem-Based Learning. As is Niels Peeters, who also started UM’s Bachelor in Liberal Arts and Sciences in 2023. “It’s a very broad programme where we discuss current issues and think about solutions,” he says in the kitchen of his student house in the heart of Maastricht, where Octovella and Yaffanda sit down for the interview. “And what’s even better is that the tutorial groups are very international. Brits, Italians, Germans, Americans, Asians. The result is that you get to consider topics from many different angles and cultures. After all, we all view things through the lens of our own backgrounds. For example, we recently talked about environmental pollution and the ‘plastic soup’. Having someone like Alyssa join that discussion is very instructive. We have no real idea how Indonesia deals with environmental issues, but she can talk about what’s going on over there based on her own experiences and observations. That’s very valuable, in my view. The international classroom is never boring.”
Popular
IISMA’s latest cohort included eleven students in total, the largest number so far. “UM is one of the most popular destinations in Europe,” says Octovella. She returned to Indonesia in February to start her final semester of Economics at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. “Maastricht is very centrally located. You can easily reach Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne and even Paris. The train connections are fantastic. Obviously we come here first and foremost to follow courses, to learn, and to be able to pass on knowledge about how the education system here works when we get back home. But it’s nice that we’re also able to explore the region and travel a bit.”
Selection
“If you’re selected by IISMA, you can specify three preferences,” explains Yaffanda, who has almost finished Environmental Sciences in Jakarta, her hometown. “I’d also put Maastricht first, so I was lucky with the allocation. UM is known as the most international university, which really appealed to me: coming into contact with many different people. Like Grace, I travelled a lot, saw many sights. Do I have a good picture of the Netherlands, of Europe? To some extent, I think. What strikes me is that people here love their own country and at the same time really believe in European cooperation. Also, the people in my immediate environment show a lot of interest in my background. They want to know where I come from, how things are going in Indonesia.”
That might also have to do with the past, Octovella suggests. “Indonesia gained its independence from the Netherlands a long time ago, but maybe the Dutch still feel a connection. We regularly use Dutch words, and the older generation in particular still talk about the past. Young people, less so. It’s only here in the Netherlands that I’ve started to think about it a bit more. You can’t erase the past.”
Privileged
Octovella and Yaffanda are both aged 21 and describe themselves as belonging to the Indonesian middle class. They grew up in small families where their parents did all they could to send their children to university. “We’re privileged to be able to study,” says Octovella. “Not everyone gets the chance, although Indonesia badly needs well-educated people. The economy is growing rapidly and facing major challenges. I’ve learnt a lot during these six months, which I’ll take back to my own faculty.”
The Indonesian students are returning to their homeland with backpacks filled with new impressions and knowledge. Octovella and Yaffanda are both more than positive about their time abroad. “We never felt homesick,” Octovella says, “partly because there were eleven of us living in one house in Valkenburg. It’s easier in a group. We often cooked and ate together—yes, usually with Indonesian herbs that we brought from home. And, of course, we shared experiences with one another.”
Study
Which is not to suggest they lived in a bubble, Yaffanda emphasises. “Definitely not. It was easy to make contact with other students, given that we worked together in the tutorial groups and studied together in the library. We explored the city, made friends and found that a lot of open-minded people live here. Who knows, maybe I’ll come back for a master’s degree someday.”
Text Jos Cortenraad
Photography Hannah Lipowski
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