IO – UPN “Veteran” East Java (UPNVJT) held a special orientation for international students through the SAPA! (Student Arrival & Preparation Activities) program under the theme “From Hello to Home.” This program was initiated by the International Office as part of the adjustment to the vision and mission in response to the increasing number of international students at UPNVJT by the year 2025.

The orientation activities were held at the GKB 2 Building of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) from August 19 to 21, 2025, featuring a series of materials and activities specially designed to support the adaptation of international students. The activities in this program included an introduction to the history of UPNVJT, campus tours, basic Indonesian language instruction, and an introduction to local languages in Surabaya, along with an overview of Indonesian culture. This program is designed to support international students in their daily lives while they pursue their studies.

Muhammad Indrawan Jatmika, S.IP., M.A., the head of IO UPNVJT, explained that this orientation is the first step in helping international students adapt to the campus environment. He mentioned that they are coming from various countries and face adaptation challenges, hence the primary responsibility of the university is to introduce the environment so that they feel comfortable and can adjust.

In the SAPA! orientation program, UPNVJT welcomed 2 international students through the independent enrollment track, 4 students through the KNB Scholarship, and 25 students through the UPN Jatim Scholarship. These students come from diverse countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Yemen, Madagascar, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Thailand, Gambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Eswatini, Nigeria, and the Solomon Islands.