Purwokerto, Tuesday, August 5, 2025 – A major step has been taken by the Pendidikan Bahasa Jepang (PBJ) Study Programme, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya (FIB), Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed). In the spirit of internationalisation and enhancing graduate competence, PBJ Unsoed has officially initiated strategic cooperation with two leading institutions from Japan: Saitama Briller Japanese Language School and Asia Academic Cultural Exchange Association. The meeting, which took place in the FIB Unsoed Meeting Room, marked the beginning of a visionary collaboration that opens up great opportunities for students to gain international experience through internship and cultural exchange programmes.
Present at this meeting were key figures from both Japanese institutions, namely Kenji Kawahira, President of Saitama Briller Japanese Language School, and Taka Masakatsu, CEO of Asia Academic Cultural Exchange Association. Meanwhile from Unsoed, the meeting was attended by the Wakil Dekan Bidang Kerja Sama FIB, Kuntarto, S.Ag., M.Pd.I., Koordinator Prodi PBJ, Dr. Haryono, S.S., M.Pd., as well as other PBJ lecturers.
“We are very open and welcome this collaboration. We believe that international cooperation will enrich the students’ experience and open up wider opportunities in the global job market,” said Kuntarto in his remarks.
Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Haryono emphasised that this cooperation is not just a formality, but has been thoroughly prepared to provide real-world experience for students. “This cooperation serves as an important preparation for our students to understand the work culture in Japan firsthand, and ultimately increase their competitiveness at the global level,” he said with optimism. In the presentation session, Taka Masakatsu expressed his desire to involve PBJ Unsoed students in the internship programme that has been successfully run with several renowned campuses in Indonesia.
“We want to expand our cooperation to Unsoed. The internship programme we run not only provides work experience, but also comprehensive cultural and language training,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Kenji Kawahira revealed that Saitama Briller has been receiving workers from Indonesia since 2021 and highly appreciates their contribution in Japan. “We want to continue fostering good relations with institutions like Unsoed. Indonesian students have great potential, and we want them to succeed, not only in Japan, but also to bring happiness to their families in Indonesia,” he expressed with high hopes.
A warm discussion also took place between the PBJ Unsoed lecturers and the Japanese partners, discussing internship opportunities, the preparation of supporting curricula, as well as the potential for cultural and soft skills training. This collaborative spirit is testament to a shared commitment to preparing students for the global workforce.
With the initiation of this cooperation, PBJ FIB Unsoed is taking firmer steps forward as an adaptive, progressive, and internationally-minded study programme. Students now have wider opportunities to learn directly in Japan—not only from an academic standpoint, but also from life and professional experiences that will shape them into resilient graduates ready to compete in the global era.
#unsoed1963 #merdekamajumendunia #PBJUnsoed #banzai