A Grand Finale to the SN-GES 2025 Orientation Program: UIN SSC’s Global Engagement Team Guides International Students on a Campus and Surroundings Tour Showcasing Facilities, Local Landmarks, and Student Life
Cirebon, September 13 2025 — Under the coordination of Lala Bumela, Ph.D., Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon’s Global Engagement Team (GET) held the final activity of the 2025 Syekh Nurjati Global E-Scholarship (SN-GES) orientation programme: an in-depth Campus and Surroundings Tour. This tour was designed to give international scholarship recipients a first-hand understanding of the university’s academic, social, and spiritual environment before they begin their studies. “This campus tour is meant to provide our new international students with first-hand knowledge of their academic home and the support systems available to them,” said Lala Bumela, Ph.D., Director of the International Office and Partnerships. The tour was attended exclusively by members of the GET and the international SN-GES scholars, ensuring a focused and interactive experience.
Eight international students were present on campus for the tour: Arif Yeekajik (Thailand, State Law), Babou Seck (Senegal, Sharia Economics), Hamdi Mujeb Thabet Sharaf (Yemen, Sharia Economics), Jadene Querod Zainal (Philippines, English Teacher Training), Nadja Querod Cabuayo (Philippines, English Teacher Training), Paojia Cabuayo Sucatan (Philippines, English Teacher Training), Maja Asleah Lindongoan Salisipan (Philippines, Biology Teacher Training), and Tasneem Wado (Thailand, Qur’anic Studies and Exegesis). Each participant had recently arrived in Cirebon to begin their degree programmes. Four additional SN-GES awardees from Nigeria were unable to attend this on-site activity due to travel constraints, but will receive the same orientation materials online.
The tour began early in the morning at UIN SSC’s main gate, where GET members welcomed the scholars and provided them with a printed map of the campus. From there, the group proceeded on foot to the principal academic units: the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, the Faculty of Ushuluddin and Adab, the Faculty of Dakwah and Islamic Communication, the Faculty of Sharia, and the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business. At each stop, GET members explained the faculty’s programmes, pointed out lecture halls and laboratories, and described how classes are supported by the university’s digital learning platforms. This section of the tour gave students a clear picture of where they will attend lectures, conduct research, and meet their academic supervisors.
After the faculty visits, the GET guided the scholars to other key facilities that support student learning and well-being. They visited the main library, student service centre, digital learning hubs, prayer rooms, and common spaces used for extracurricular and intercultural activities. Each location was presented with a short explanation of its functions: the library’s online catalogue and reading areas, the student centre’s administrative support desks, and the digital hubs where students can access high-speed internet and collaborative workstations. By moving through these spaces together, the scholars could visualise their daily routines and understand how academic, social, and spiritual aspects of campus life intersect at UIN SSC.
Throughout the day, the international students expressed enthusiasm about the university’s infrastructure. Several commented on how the combination of physical facilities and cyber-based learning resources reflects a modern, globally oriented campus environment. Others noted the convenience of having prayer rooms, study areas, and student services within short walking distance. The GET members also shared practical tips — such as library opening hours and how to log into the learning management system — so that the scholars could immediately use the services introduced during the tour.
The campus tour concluded the three-day SN-GES 2025 orientation programme. By personally introducing the facilities and student life, the Global Engagement Team ensured that each international scholar begins the semester with practical knowledge of where to study, where to access services, and how to participate in the wider university community. “We want every SN-GES scholar to feel confident and well-prepared before starting their classes, and this tour is a key step in that process,” Lala Bumela, Ph.D., emphasised at the closing of the event. With this hands-on introduction, the scholars are now better equipped to navigate UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon and to integrate smoothly into their new academic environment.
Author: Muhammad Azkiya Bahtsulkhoir