International experience takes on a broader meaning when learning, contribution, and academic collaboration come together. Faculty of Economic and Business (FEB) Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik (UMG) is bringing that approach to Thailand through an international program with Lukmanulhakeem School, combining professional experience, community engagement, and research within one comprehensive initiative.
Through an Implementation of Agreement (IA) between FEB UMG and Lukmanulhakeem School, Thailand, the collaboration is implemented from June to December 2026. The program brings together three interconnected activities: International Internship, International Community Service, and Joint Research, creating a broader international learning experience for students and academics.
The program involves two students from the Accounting Department along with lecturers from FEB UMG, allowing student mobility to be connected with academic engagement and institutional collaboration. Through the International Internship, students gain direct exposure to an educational and professional environment in Thailand while bringing their academic knowledge into a different cultural and professional setting.
The international experience is further extended through International Community Service in Yala, Thailand, where FEB UMG brings its expertise into a practical setting. One of the main focuses is “Improving Financial Literacy, Innovation, and Digital Marketing for MSME Economic Independence in Yala, Thailand,” designed to equip local business owners with practical knowledge that can be applied directly to their businesses.
The training covers financial literacy, product and service innovation, and digital marketing. Participants learn how to separate personal and business finances, maintain a simple daily cash book, and calculate costs, prices, and profits. They are also encouraged to improve their products based on customer needs, including through packaging, portion, service, and sales channels, while strengthening product information and presentation to build customer trust.
The digital marketing component takes the training further by helping MSME owners establish a clearer digital identity through product catalogues, contact information, locations, reviews, and promotional content. Participants are also introduced to a practical 30-second video formula that combines a product hook, value, proof, and a clear call to action.
Rather than ending with the training session, the program encourages participants to put the knowledge into practice through a 30-day action plan, covering financial recording, business improvement, and digital promotion. This practical approach turns community service into a continuous learning process where knowledge can move directly into everyday business decisions.
Alongside internship and community service, Joint Research adds an academic dimension to the collaboration, creating opportunities for FEB UMG and Lukmanulhakeem School to exchange ideas and develop research initiatives together. With professional experience, community contribution, and academic collaboration brought into one international framework, the program reflects a broader approach to internationalization.
Supported by Muhammadiyah Association of Thailand, Lukmanulhakeem School, and Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik, the collaboration demonstrates how FEB UMG is turning international engagement into experiences that connect learning, contribution, and academic development. More than an overseas program, it gives students and academics a space to learn from a different environment while creating meaningful value through what they bring to it.