Along with the return of five UMM IP Study Program students who have completed the student exchange program at the College of Local Administration (COLA) Khon Kaen University (KKU) Thailand, four KKU COLA students, namely Sittisak Kaeothanmanukun, Suparom Wongracha, Mintra Wongwirat and Kanarwut Duangin have also completed the student exchange program at the UMM FISIP IP Study Program. The program which lasted for ±4 months ended with a final presentation activity on the research they conducted while in Indonesia, namely Adaptation, Obstacles, Living and Well-being of Thai People in Indonesia, The Guidelines to Conserve Local Identity: a case study of Malang City, East Java, Indonesia, The Study Process Political Participation of Children and Youth in Indonesia and The Model of Financial Preparation for The Future of Indonesian People.
One of the COLA KKU students, Suparom Wongracha or who is familiarly called Joy, said that "it is an honor to be able to study here, in Indonesia, not only learning various lecture materials in class but also learning about Indonesian cultures and being able to get to know friends from various ethnicities at UMM. We also feel a difference in the learning process, if in Thailand most still apply the teacher learning center system and the students tend to be passive, then at UMM what is applied is the student learning center so that students are challenged to be active during class. We are happy because this program has ended and we can return to Thailand but also sad because we have to part with our UMM friends. Therefore, we hope to visit here again in the future, "he said.
The final presentation activity as well as the release of COLA KKU students was also attended by Dr. Dyah Estu Kurniawati, S.Sos., M.Si as Vice Dean I of FISIP UMM. She said that it was also an honor to be able to accept foreign students to study in the FISIP UMM environment. She also hopes that this program will continue to be implemented which benefits not only the students concerned, but also for the study program so that it can develop its academic quality and as an initial step towards an International Department and World Class University.
