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Thu, 31 Jul 2025
JIMBARAN - Widiatmika Vocational School hosted the World Friends Korea IT Volunteers 2025, a collaborative program held on Wednesday, 30 July 2025. The event brought together university students from Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea, and was organized in partnership with Politeknik Negeri Bali (PNB).
Over the span of three hours, students from Widiatmika Vocational School engaged in interactive sessions that blended cultural exchange with hands-on technology learning. Activities ranged from traditional Korean games to the assembly of basic robotic toolkits, creating an environment where international collaboration came to life inside the classroom.
Six rooms were prepared to accommodate 150 students, divided into smaller groups for more focused engagement. Each class was supervised by a teacher, and the school also arranged a waiting area along with traditional Balinese refreshments to welcome guests.
The program began with welcoming remarks from PNB Director I Nyoman Abdi, followed by a speech from a KNU representative and an agenda overview presented by the Korean student team. The main sessions then unfolded in the classrooms, with English used as the medium of communication throughout.
“Our students were truly enthusiastic. This was a valuable opportunity for them to practice cross-cultural communication and learn directly about robotics from international students,” said Ni Luh Putu Emayanti, M.Pd., Principal of Widiatmika Vocational School.
According to Emayanti, the program aligns with the school's vision of promoting global awareness and techno-entrepreneurship. It also offered fresh insights for teachers to explore more adaptive and contextual teaching approaches that suit today’s learning needs.
Outside formal sessions, the students took time to connect with the Korean volunteers, often asking for photos as keepsakes. These informal exchanges underscored how meaningful learning can occur through experience, empathy, and intercultural dialogue.
KNU representatives expressed interest in developing further collaboration, including the potential for scholarship pathways for Widiatmika Vocational School students who wish to pursue higher education in South Korea. Both institutions shared optimism for continuing the partnership in the future.
“We hope this initiative becomes the foundation for broader cooperation. The motivation our students showed today is a promising sign for what lies ahead,” Emayanti concluded.
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