Two students from the Japanese Language Education Program (PBJ) have been accepted into the Japanese-Language Program for Counterpart Japanese Learners (University Students) Autumn and Winter Program 2024, organized by the Japan Foundation. The two students are Syifa Ellisa Wibowo (Autumn Program 2024) and Putu Arya Mahayana (Winter Program 2025). This program aims to train future Japanese language educators by broadening their knowledge of Japanese language teaching, as well as their understanding of the Japanese language, society, and culture.
Picture 1. Students Accepted into the Japanese-Language Program for Counterpart Japanese Learners (University Students) Autumn and Winter Program 2024 (Japan Foundation).
One of the students who was accepted, Syifa, stated that she had always dreamed of going to Japan. She bravely took part in various programs to make that dream a reality, and eventually succeeded in being selected for this program. The selection process for this program included both departmental and national stages. For the departmental selection, several requirements had to be met, such as writing an essay of approximately 400 characters in Japanese, being an active 6th-semester student in the Japanese Language Education Program at Undiksha, having a JLPT certificate, which would serve as an additional advantage, and showing a strong commitment to becoming a Japanese language teacher after graduation. Based on these criteria, the department selected two students to represent the university at the national level. These two students would then compete with students from 10 other universities across Indonesia that offer Japanese Language Education programs.
Furthermore, the program is divided into two parts: the Autumn Program, which lasts for 44 days, and the Winter Program, which also lasts for 44 days. The activities take place at the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute in Kansai, Japan. Through this opportunity, the two PBJ students who were selected can realize their dreams of going to Japan and gain invaluable experiences while there. –DC–