Bandung, UPI
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), through its Directorate of Partnerships and International Affairs (DKUI), welcomed five exchange students from La Rochelle Université, France. The welcoming session was held at the Center of Excellence (COE) UPI’s Building on Monday, February 2, 2026.
The students were received by Prof. Dr. Vanessa Gaffar, S.E., Ak., MBA., UPI’s Vice-Rector for Education and Quality Assurance. The visit is part of an ongoing partnership between the two institutions, which has been in place since 2019 and continues to be renewed each year.
In her remarks, Prof. Vanessa highlighted that the student-exchange program plays an important role in strengthening UPI’s internationalization efforts. “One of UPI’s performance targets is to increase the number of international students. This student exchange program shows that UPI is trusted by partner universities abroad as a place for their students to study,” she said.
She added that this trust reflects international recognition of UPI’s academic standards. Prof. Vanessa also expressed her hope that the international students will adapt well and actively engage with Indonesian students throughout the program.
During their stay, the five students will take part in academic activities for one full semester, from February until June 30, 2026. Alongside internship programs, they will attend courses across several study programs, including English Language and Literature, French Language Education, and Sundanese Language Education, as well as supporting courses such as content writing, exploring fiction, academic writing, and Introduction to Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA).
Pupung Purnawarman, M.Sc.Ed., Ph.D., Director of DKUI, explained that the program is designed to offer a well-rounded experience that combines academic learning with cultural exposure. “The five students from La Rochelle will take part in an exchange program that includes internships and coursework across several study programs for one full semester, starting today until June 30, 2026,” he said.
Beyond academic activities, the students are also encouraged to immerse themselves in Indonesian culture. One of the participants, Fannela Jeanne, shared her excitement about learning Sundanese, a regional language she had never studied before.
“I had never studied it before, but I really like it. For me, language is part of culture, so it’s important to learn it. I want to feel as close as possible to Indonesia,” she said.
DKUI ensures that all administrative needs of international students including the processing of student identification numbers (NIM), student mobility forms, as well as academic and non-academic support are handled through a centralized system. The students will also be accompanied by student buddies throughout their activities on campus.
Through this program, UPI continues to strengthen its role as a trusted global partner while fostering a more inclusive and collaborative academic environment.
Furthermore, this initiative supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) by promoting cross-cultural learning and academic mobility, as well as SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through inclusive international exchange and collaboration. (RK)