Mahasiswa Fakultas Hukum UGM Menjadi Pelajar yang Mewakili Indonesia dalam ASEAN – India Students Exchange Programme 2018
The ASEAN–India Students Exchange Programme (AISEP) is a student exchange program initiated by the Government of India through the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry. The program brought together 250 selected students from all ASEAN member states to visit leading universities, historical sites, and industrial centers across India. The selected participants also had the opportunity to engage in discussions on ASEAN–India issues, ranging from politics and culture to trade cooperation.
In Indonesia, the selection process for students participating in the program was conducted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The selection consisted of several stages, including document screening, a basic mathematics test, an English test, a focus group discussion, an interview, a question-and-answer test, and a regional cultural presentation. Through the provincial Youth and Sports Offices, each province sent its best representatives to participate in a selection camp in Jakarta. In addition to strong academic achievements, selected participants were expected to be active in organizations and social activities and to have a good understanding of their regional culture.
Ultimately, 25 young Indonesians were selected as national representatives for the exchange program. One of them was Robiatul Adawiyah, a student at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada, who represented East Java Province. The program was held intensively from 1–11 May 2018, with visits to four cities in India: Mumbai, Pune, Agra, and New Delhi.
As a Law student from the Department of Commercial Law, Robiatul Adawiyah has a particular interest in international trade. The AISEP program, organized in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry, provided extensive discussions on bilateral and multilateral trade between ASEAN and India.
In addition to visits to industrial facilities, trade centers, and the Bombay Stock Exchange, Robiatul was particularly interested in the visit to the Election Commission of India. As the world’s largest democracy with a highly pluralistic population, India faces challenges that are not entirely different from those encountered by Indonesia. India’s elections have adopted an electronic voting system with strict measures to maintain confidentiality and security. Young people and social media also play an important role in promoting healthy election campaigns and democratic processes. During the visit, Robiatul gained valuable insights and had the opportunity to personally present a state souvenir to Om Prakash Rawat, then President of the Election Commission of India.
The final session of the ASEAN–India Students Exchange Programme (AISEP) brought together participants from across ASEAN to showcase traditional dances and wear traditional attire from their respective regions. The event was also attended by ambassadors and representatives of ambassadors from ASEAN member states. The program aimed to strengthen friendship between ASEAN and India and contribute to building a future in which Asia plays a central role in the global community. The year 2018 was particularly significant for ASEAN–India relations, as it marked the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN–India Partnership.
