Purwokerto – The Pendidikan Bahasa Jepang (PBJ) Study Programme, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya (FIB) Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed), initiated a strategic cooperation with two institutions from Japan, namely Saitama Briller Japanese Language School and Asia Academic Cultural Exchange Association. The meeting took place on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, in the Meeting Room of the Gedung Siti Chotijah, FIB Unsoed.
This activity was attended by representatives from the Japanese partners, namely Kenji Kawahira as the President of Saitama Briller Japanese Language School and Taka Masakatsu as the CEO of Asia Academic Cultural Exchange Association. From the FIB Unsoed side, the Vice Dean for Cooperation Kuntarto, S.Ag., M.Pd.I., the Coordinator of the PBJ Study Programme Dr. Haryono, S.S., M.Pd., as well as other PBJ lecturers such as Dian Bayu Firmansyah, Eko Kurniawan, Yudi Suryadi, Anggita Stovia, Ulul Huda, Exwan Andriyan Verrysaputro, and Firda Zahratul Fuadah were present.
The event began with remarks from Kuntarto, who expressed enthusiasm for the continuation of this cooperation initiative. “We are very open and welcome this collaboration. We believe that international cooperation will enrich students’ experiences and open up wider opportunities in the global workforce,” he said.
The Coordinator of the PBJ Study Programme, Dr. Haryono, in his remarks also stated that his side has prepared the foundation for sustainable cooperation in the fields of education and internships. “This cooperation is not only important for the study programme, but also serves as essential preparation for our students to understand the work culture in Japan firsthand,” he said.
In his presentation, Taka Masakatsu expressed his party’s strong desire to establish internship cooperation with PBJ Unsoed students. “We have collaborated with several universities in Indonesia such as UPI, UNIBRA, and UST Yogyakarta. Now we want to expand our cooperation to Unsoed,” explained Taka. He also provided an overview of the internship programs that have been run with educational institutions in Indonesia, including the implementation flow and the benefits obtained by the participants.
Meanwhile, Kenji Kawahira conveyed that Saitama Briller Japanese Language School has been receiving workers from Indonesia since 2021. He emphasized the importance of the contribution of Indonesian workers in Japan. “We hope they can work for a long period of time and can make their families back home happy. Currently, the demand for workers from Indonesia is increasing, and we want to continue to foster good relations with institutions like Unsoed,” said Kenji.
The PBJ Unsoed lecturers in attendance also actively participated in discussions regarding internship program opportunities, supporting curriculum needs, as well as the potential development of cooperation in the form of language, culture, and soft skills training. This activity became an important momentum to strengthen international networks and equip students with real-world experience in the global workforce.
With this cooperation initiative, the Pendidikan Bahasa Jepang Study Programme of FIB Unsoed is expected to be able to expand student access to high-quality internship programs in Japan, as well as support the achievement of graduate competencies ready to compete at the international level. This collaboration is also a concrete form of FIB Unsoed’s commitment to realizing the vision of internationalizing higher education.
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TADZKIA BINTANG SYAFITRI
ARJUNA CAHYO WIDODO
DIFA NUSANTARA
UMAR ABDUL AZIZ