Being a final-year student does not necessarily mean you should stay away from any competition. This is at least true for the final-year student of Applied Foreign Language, Siti Anjani. The student, whose nickname is Anya, won the First Best Video Innovation award in the Indonesian Youth Excursion Network Chapter Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia held in April.
Are you curious about the program that Anya participated in and how exciting the program is? Here is our interview with Anya.
Can you briefly explain what IYEN is?
IYEN stands for Indonesian Youth Excursion Network. It is an international youth program that runs from 23 April – 26 April 2024 and is designed specifically for young men and women who want to broaden their horizons through study abroad experiences.
How does it feel to be awarded at IYEN 2024?
Being selected as one of the Top 8 Delegates in IYEN gives me over-the-moon experience. I feel very grateful for this amazing opportunity to participate in the trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
What were the selection stages before participating in IYEN 2024?
Some of the selection stages that I passed before finally qualifying as a delegate were file selection, national insight test, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD).
What were the activities during the IYEN 2024 program?
The IYEN program includes training activities, discussions, and workshops facilitated by experts and young leaders to enhance insight, leadership skills, and teamwork. I held the role of team leader in my group. In this group, I worked together with friends from various institutions such as Bina Nusantara University, Riau University, Jember University, Lambung Mangkurat University, Halu Oleo University, and a student from SMAN 4 Padang. The days of the program were jam-packed with visiting some of the best universities in Malaysia namely International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Universiti Malaya (UM), visiting famous historical and tourist attractions such as Dataran Merdeka and Batu Caves, as well as meeting local people to get first-hand insight into life in Malaysia. Through the program, I experienced first-hand the cultural closeness between Indonesia and Malaysia, which made communicating with locals easier. In addition to providing insight into Malaysia, the program also opened up opportunities to be involved in the development of innovations that have great potential.
What was the most memorable moment during the IYEN 2024 program?
One of the important and valuable moments during this program is the opportunity to develop innovations. I brought an innovation in the form of a proposal on the Bluetain+ application, which aims to develop the concept of Blue Economy in Indonesia and accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This innovation was eventually decided to be elevated to a joint major project that will be developed and presented in Malaysia. Enabling coastal communities to access online markets for economic development made this innovation receive a positive response from the judges and won the First Best Video Innovation award.
Apart from winning one of the awards, what other benefits did you feel from participating in the IYEN 2024 program?
I managed to expand my social network by making new friends from all over Indonesia and even from the country I visited, Malaysia. This proves how valuable the experience in this program is in enriching my knowledge and social relationships. Through IYEN, not only do I have a better understanding of the culture and daily life in Malaysia, but also have the opportunity to contribute to the development of innovations that benefit the wider community.
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