RELO Director Ruth Goode emphasized the role of English in international relations at the opening of the 2024-2026 Access Program at UNESA.
Unesa.ac.id. SURABAYA�Surabaya State University (UNESA) has again been trusted as the implementing partner for the 2024-2026 Access Program, a program that aims to provide access to quality English education to outstanding students from underprivileged backgrounds.
This program is the result of collaboration between the UNESA Faculty of Languages ��and Arts (FBS), the Indonesian International Education Foundation (IIEF), and the Regional English Language Office (RELO) of the US Embassy in Jakarta.
In a meeting which took place in the T14 Building Meeting Room, Faculty of Languages ��and Arts (FBS), Campus 2 Lidah Wetan, Surabaya on Thursday, December 12 2024, Madlazim, Deputy Chancellor for Academic, Student Affairs and Alumni Affairs of UNESA emphasizes the importance of this program in supporting educational inclusivity.
This trust is clear evidence of UNESA's commitment to building superior human resources through education, language and culture.
"The Access program is very much in line with Unesa's vision as an educational university that excels in the fields of language and culture," he said.
Meanwhile, RELO Director, Ruth Goode emphasized the role of English in international relations. English is the foundation for various international activities.
"English can open doors to start a career, business, diplomacy, and most importantly, the door to foster a sense of mutual understanding and respect for human relationships," he said.
This program is attended by 40 participants for 2 years starting 2024-2026, who are divided into two groups, namely high school students and university students. For two years, participants will receive intensive English learning
In addition, participants will be invited to be involved in community service activities, especially related to social and environmental issues and climate change. .
The opening event also featured the presentation of certificates to participants and artistic performances from Access students. The students attended with their parents and guardians as well as representatives from the principals of the schools where they studied celebrating the beginning of their journey in this program.
Before the induction session began, the event began with a courtesy meeting between the delegation led by the US Consul General in Surabaya Chris Green and RELO of the US Embassy in Jakarta with the leadership of Surabaya State University.
Photo with university leaders and the dean of FBS UNESA, together with the Indonesian International Education Foundation (IIEF), and the Regional English Language Office (RELO) of the US Embassy in Jakarta.
This meeting took place in the courtroom Building T14, 2nd floor, Faculty of Languages ��and Arts (FBS) UNESA, and received directly by Madlazim (Deputy Chancellor 1), Syafi'ul Anam (Dean of FBS), Slamet Setiawan (Director of Cooperation), Coordinator of the English Education Study Program, along with the Access Program site team at FBS UNESA.
In this meeting, delegates from the US Consulate General and RELO expressed their appreciation for UNESA's commitment to supporting underprivileged students through this collaborative program.
They emphasized that this success shows the strength of cooperation between the two parties and opens the door for future collaboration, not only in the field of language education but also human resource development.
The delegation also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation between Unesa and the United States Government, especially in lecturer and student exchange programs. These programs can strengthen academic capacity, as well as broaden cross-cultural horizons between the two countries.
It was stated that there are many student exchange pathways and programs supported by the US government, both those fully sponsored by the US Embassy and inter-university programs (U-to-U).
Participants in the 2024-2026 Access Program at UNESA show off their certificates
UNESA students can take advantage of this opportunity to access study abroad experiences. UNESA can collaborate to prepare students and lecturers to apply for scholarships through EducationUSA assistance in Surabaya.
The United States government has run lecturer exchange programs with several universities in Indonesia. Currently, Unesa accepts one guest lecturer (fellow) in the field of English Language Education.
During this meeting, opportunities were also discussed to propose lecturers from other fields outside of English, both online and face to face. As a first step, virtual teacher exchange is the most feasible option, noting that a suitable platform is needed to facilitate this exchange.
By twice being trusted as the implementing partner of the Access Program, Unesa continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting inclusive and innovative education. This collaboration is also strengthened by the strategic partnership between UNESA and IIEF, including as the official TOEFL test center at the UNESA Language Center since 2020.
"We hope that this collaboration will continue to develop and bring greater benefits to society, both in education, research and technology transfer," said Madlazim.[*]
***
Author: Access Scholarship Program Team
Curator: @zam *
Photo: UNESA PR Team
Share It On:
