Three Generations, One Vision: The International Office UIN SSC Podcast with the Global Engagement Team Celebrates Cross-Generational Communication and Global Engagement
Cirebon, August, 5th 2025 — Lala Bumela, Ph.D., Director of the International Office and Partnership at Universitas Islam Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon (UIN SSC), has long emphasized that internationalization is not merely about forging agreements abroad but about cultivating a culture of dialogue that transcends generations. “What I witnessed in this podcast project is a profound reminder that leadership is not always about being at the center, but about creating spaces where others can speak, grow, and connect,” he reflected while observing the recent milestone achieved by the Global Engagement Team (GET). The event brought together three generations of GET members—Farah Syifa from the pioneering cohort, Indra Maulana Arfan Ajiz, Shofiatul Faqriyah, Maulida Rahma, and Muhammad Rizki Fadillah representing the second generation, and Ananditamala Syalwa Heryana as the youngest member of the third. Yet, beyond the celebratory moment, Lala’s words posed a compelling question: can institutions truly grow global if they fail to honor the voices of their own youth?
The podcast episode itself became a living laboratory of this very question. Moderated by Indra, the conversation was charged with authenticity, weaving narratives of the past, present, and future of GET. Syifa, as a first-generation member, described the struggle and excitement of laying the foundation for what would later become a hub of international student engagement. “For us, the journey was full of uncertainty, but also full of hope. We wanted to prove that UIN SSC students could connect with the world,” she shared, her words resonating like an echo of courage. Ananditamala, carrying the baton of the newest generation, responded not only with admiration but also with determination to continue the legacy with fresh perspectives. This interplay across generations transformed the podcast from a simple recording into a dialogue of identity and aspiration.
What Syifa and Ananditamala voiced did not go unnoticed by Lala Bumela, who has always emphasized the role of continuity in global engagement. In response to their reflections, he observed, “When I hear our students speak across generations, I see more than just stories; I see a living bridge of values and visions that ensures sustainability for our international mission.” His remark underscored the deep institutional belief that growth requires memory, and memory requires dialogue. The GET podcast thus became an example of how leadership and participation could intersect—students articulating their journeys, and the International Office ensuring that such journeys are woven into the university’s broader global strategy.
Lala Bumela further reminded his team that the podcast was not just a creative experiment, but an instrument of institutional resilience. “We are not building programs for one-time applause; we are building platforms that will nurture the courage to speak, the wisdom to listen, and the vision to act,” he stated firmly. His words re-centered the discussion on the long-term mission of the International Office: to prepare students not only as participants in global dialogues but as initiators of them. In this way, even though he was not in the recording studio, his intellectual and moral presence infused the podcast with purpose, giving the students’ voices a larger canvas to resonate upon.
The impact of this collaborative initiative goes beyond the episode itself. For UIN SSC, the podcast signals a growing confidence in utilizing digital platforms as tools for intercultural communication and intellectual exchange. For the students, it was an exercise in resilience—learning to handle technical limitations, embrace vulnerability in front of an audience, and still find strength in shared storytelling. For the International Office, it affirmed a philosophy: that internationalization must be both global and deeply personal. By bridging experiences across GET generations, the podcast strengthened the sense of belonging, while simultaneously extending an invitation to the world to listen, engage, and respond.
Ultimately, the essence of this event rests on a universal lesson. Institutions, like individuals, grow not in isolation but through dialogue—across borders, across cultures, and across time. The voices of Farah, Indra, Shofia, Maulida, Rizki, and Ananditamala may differ in tone, but together they form a chorus that reflects UIN SSC’s evolving spirit of global engagement. As Lala Bumela reflected through his role as witness and guide, the podcast stands as a moral reminder that true internationalization begins within: when the wisdom of the past meets the energy of the present and inspires the courage of the future. In that meeting lies the heartbeat of the International Office’s mission—to shape students not only for today’s challenges, but for the dialogues that will define tomorrow’s world.
Author: Muhammad Azkiya Bahtsulkhoir