PENANG, 29 June 2015 – The Kumpulan Siswa-siswi Darul Ridzuan (KUSISDARI) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) crossed international borders to visit Australia in search of experience and global networking.  

With 'Exchange Knowledge Beyond Boundaries' as the theme of the visit, the 15-member delegation comprising student leaders of KUSISDARI carried out various activities during their recent study trip to Murdoch University in Perth, Australia.

These included the exchange of ideas and best practices in education, leadership, movement of student associations as well as cultural exchange between representatives from both universities.

The KUSISDARI delegation also showcased Malaysian attire namely Malay, Chinese, Indian, Sabahan and Sarawakian traditional wear besides performing the Tarian Darbus (traditional dance originating from Perak), joget and silat cekak demonstrations all of which were well received by their Australian counterparts.

KUSISDARI advisor, Associate Professor Wan Ahmad Jaafar bin Wan Yahaya said that the visit which was part of its Global Outreach Programme was part of an annual activity by KUSISDARI celebrating knowledge and the sharing of culture between countries.

As head of the delegation, Wan Ahmad emphasised that such programmes were an excellent avenue for university students to gain knowledge besides learning about and appreciating other cultures besides strengthening ties between the two universities.

“This was not simply a sight seeing excursion as the visit was packed with various special programmes to build long term networking co-operation between students from the two universities.

“Many benefits can be achieved from such programmes including the reinforcing of our students’ communication and interaction with international students, the improving of interpersonal skills and impressing upon the students the importance of learning and benefiting from good practices that are worth emulating,” he said.

President of KUSISDARI, Akmal Ariffin similarly pointed out that such activities were beneficial to students, especially in instilling global mindedness and encouraging them to be active in many areas.

He explained that this visit was a continuation of similar programmes from previous years whereby delegations of students were brought to Osaka, Seoul, Chengdu, Hong Kong, and Indonesia as a platform for them to experience up close what it felt like to study abroad.

“This was a valuable learning experience for the students in terms of interacting within a global environment. Not only did it boost their confidence, it also presented an opportunity for intellectual networking with global partners,” he added.

During the visit, the KUSISDARI delegation enjoyed the natural beauty of Perth, which is well known as the best green city in the world, and experienced how local communities inculcate the culture of cleanliness.

The delegation also visited King’s Park, Cottesloe Beach, Fremantle Market, Caversham Wildlife Park and Perth City; all of which were described as memorable experiences besides presenting them with the opportunity to showcase Malaysian culture on an international platform.

Student Exchange Officer Nicolas Castagnette hosted a special event in honour of the KUSISDARI delegation that was also attended by students from the Malaysian Students’ Association of Murdoch University.

Translation: Dr Nurul Farhana Low Abdullah