“We have started sending students for internships in Malaysia and Taiwan. In the future, job opportunities for graduates will also be available in Saudi Arabia in the nursing sector, as well as in Japan in engineering, manufacturing, and logistics,” said UMY Vice Rector for Quality, Reputation, and Partnership Slamet Riyadi in Yogyakarta on Friday.
He explained that internationalization has become one of UMY’s strategic directions in responding to the challenges of the modern job market.
In addition to collaborating with state-owned enterprises and national companies, UMY is also expanding its networks abroad to provide students with relevant work experience. Slamet emphasized that each study program and faculty is encouraged to expand partnerships in their respective fields.
This approach, he added, allows students to secure internships or fieldwork placements that match their competencies while also delivering tangible benefits for companies.
“Companies also gain contributions that are aligned with the students’ fields of study. This can reduce the risk of a mismatch after graduation,” he said.
UMY is targeting at least ten new active partners every year, both nationally and internationally, to accommodate student internships. Slamet noted that work experience before graduation is key to enhancing graduates’ readiness for employment.
International internships, he added, have a significant impact not only on technical skills but also on global soft skills. “Students can learn to adapt, communicate across cultures, and understand international work ethics,” he said.
The success of the program is measured by the number of students who gain work experience with business, industry, and employment partners, as well as the absorption rate of graduates into the workforce.
Currently, UMY has established partnerships with both national and international companies, ranging from state-owned enterprises such as PT Telkom to firms in Japan.
At the institutional level, UMY is also in discussions with the Ministry of Migrant Worker Protection (P2MI) to place nursing graduates in Saudi Arabia.
Based on tracer study data, UMY graduates on average secure jobs within three months after graduation. Through strategic partnerships with national and international industries, UMY reaffirms its commitment to preparing highly skilled human resources ready to compete in the global job market.
“We are targeting a shorter waiting period for employment along with better career quality for graduates, including improving initial salary levels that still need to be increased,” Slamet said.
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Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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