A total of 18 students from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, accompanied by academic representatives, participated in the programme hosted by KON, IIUM. The delegation was warmly received by the Kulliyyah’s management and academic staff, reflecting IIUM’s continued commitment to fostering meaningful regional and international engagement in nursing education.
The programme officially commenced with a welcoming session at the Kulliyyah of Nursing, where representatives from IIUM and UMS had the opportunity to introduce their respective academic environments and explore potential areas of future collaboration. The session also created space for discussions on strengthening academic partnerships, particularly through student and staff mobility, collaborative learning activities and other initiatives of mutual interest.
Academic and Professional Learning Experiences
Throughout the mobility programme, the visiting students were exposed to a variety of academic and professional learning experiences. One of the highlights was a series of expert talks delivered by academics from IIUM and UMS, covering contemporary topics in nursing and healthcare.
These included systematic nursing assessment and clinical reasoning in medical-surgical nursing, complementary approaches in healthcare, patient-centred nursing care and interprofessional collaboration. The sessions enabled students to exchange perspectives and gain insights into nursing practice within different educational and healthcare contexts.
The students also participated in an interactive case discussion session facilitated by nursing experts. This activity encouraged critical thinking, clinical reasoning and professional communication while allowing participants to discuss real-world nursing scenarios in a collaborative learning environment.
Clinical Exposure at SASMEC @IIUM
Another important component of the programme was a visit to Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre @ IIUM (SASMEC @IIUM). During the visit, the students gained exposure to various clinical services and nursing practices within a university teaching hospital environment.
The experience provided an opportunity to observe the integration of clinical practice, education and multidisciplinary healthcare delivery, further enriching their understanding of nursing practice in Malaysia.
The mobility programme served not only as an academic platform, but also as an opportunity to strengthen professional networks, cultural understanding and meaningful connections between students and academics from Malaysia and Indonesia.
In addition to formal academic activities, the programme incorporated opportunities for informal interaction and networking among students and academics. These engagements were intended to promote cultural exchange, friendship and a greater appreciation of different approaches to nursing education and professional practice.
Reflection and Closing
The mobility programme concluded with a podcast session, programme reflection and closing session at the Kulliyyah of Nursing. Participants were encouraged to reflect on their experiences, lessons learned and the professional connections established throughout their stay at IIUM.
The Kulliyyah of Nursing, IIUM is honoured to have served as the host for this student mobility programme. Such initiatives support the Kulliyyah’s aspiration to provide students with broader academic exposure while building sustainable partnerships with institutions within the region.
KON, IIUM looks forward to further strengthening its relationship with Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta through future academic exchanges, collaborative programmes and other initiatives that contribute towards the advancement of nursing education, research and professional practice.