University lures students with unique way
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A good reputation alone is apparently not a guarantee that students will fill university campus corridors.
Hosted by TV personalities Arie Untung and Oki Lukman, a free bowling and billiards competition was held last week at the EX Plaza Indonesia shopping mall to entice high school students to know more about President University.
Unfortunately, of the hundreds of students expected to come, only about 60 of them showed up at the university's bowling day last Thursday.
"I don't know how to play tenpin bowling. I came here to see some of the students and lecturers of the university," said Yulia Aisha, 17, a student of Taruna Nusantara high school in Magelang, Central Java, who had gotten a full scholarship to study at the university.
The university's commercial director, Chris Wren, said that the university chose the event to attract Jakarta high school students, as the sports were popular among youngsters.
"Bowling and billiards are for everyone, whether they're fat or skinny, tall or short, white or yellow. That's also how we want to describe our university: Everyone can enroll in it."
Chris also said that he wanted to use the event to inform people about the benefits of studying at the university, which he claimed has international-standard education.
"This year, we offer 500 scholarships for students who can pass our admission test," he said in a talk-show held before the competition.
The scholarships are offered in four categories, starting from full-scholarships to 25 percent coverage of its Rp 55 million a year fee plus Rp 10 million per year for dormitory accommodation. All first year students have to live on campus.
The university's vice president for student affairs, Sandy Widjaja, said that those that rank in the top 20 percent in the entrance test, or 100 candidates, will get a full scholarship plus free board.
The four-year-old university also promises Rp 2 million for every student who can bring one person to join the university.
"This proposition is to promote students who have modern, creative, and entrepreneurial talent to develop their skills before they graduate," said Chris.
The university promises jobs for its students as the school, which is located in an industrial area in Cikarang, West Java, has the support of 1,040 companies in the area that provide one- year internships.
"Our first batch of graduates, who will graduate in December, have been booked by companies. While, the next batch of students in Hotel Management are already reserved by top hotels in Jakarta," said Sandy.
However, Sandy said that the university needs to attract more students to expand their three existing faculties -- Business, Engineering and Computing.
"We have a plan to set up a faculty of literature or humanities and also aim to get accreditation from the government. To do that, we need to prove that we have enough students and prove that they are of the best quality," Sandy said. (006)