From November 6th to 7th, the Student Buddy Camp, an official orientation and training program for newly accepted Student Buddies, was held by UCIC with support from CAGE (Collaboration and Global Engagement, UC). Over the two-day event, 15 participants were warmly welcomed and guided through essential preparation to build the skills and mindset required for their upcoming roles.

The Student Buddy Program’s main purpose is to empower UC students to become cultural ambassadors who welcome and support international students, promote Indonesian culture, and develop global communication and leadership skills. Therefore, the Student Buddy Camp was held at Universitas Ciputra Surabaya as a platform to prepare these selected students for their upcoming responsibilities.

The first day of the Student Buddy Camp began with an opening session that included a short greeting, a prayer, and a briefing about the Day 1 schedule. The agenda continued with a speech from university representatives (CaGE), followed by an ice-breaking activity to help participants become more familiar and comfortable with one another. Afterward, the students were guided to join a hands-on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation session led by Medical Science on the fifth floor. This activity aimed to build initial teamwork and introduce practical emergency response skills that could be useful when assisting international students.

The next agenda was a cross-culture seminar, delivered in a discussion based format where participants explored diverse perspectives, cultural sensitivity, and global communication awareness. The seminar was led by an IISMA awardee, allowing participants to gain insights directly from someone with real international experience. After the seminar, participants took a lunch break and regrouped for a short preparation activity before moving on to the next agenda. The day concluded with a campus tour to the Apple Academy at UC, allowing every Student Buddy to become more familiar with the campus environment and available resources, which will help them better support international students in the future. The entire first day was wrapped up with a closing session at the mini theatre on the 15th floor.

Compared to Day 1, the second day of the Student Buddy Camp focused more on case-based learning and practical understanding. The agenda began at 9:00 AM with a short opening, followed by an ice-breaking activity to help rebuild the group’s energy and connection. Hotel and Tourism Business (HTB) then delivered an etiquette class hosted by Chef Hugo, where the Student Buddies learned proper and respectful dining manners, such as how to use cutlery and maintain appropriate posture. After that, participants moved on to a case-study discussion, where they explored real situations related to international student experiences, giving them a clearer picture of potential challenges they may encounter in the field. They were also asked to present their proposed solutions, and the presentations were assessed by a professor from the Food Technology Program (UC FTP).

After the lunch break, the agenda continued with another session led by MED, which provided first aid knowledge as an extension of the CPR activity from day 1. Following the session, the Student Buddies were assigned to conduct a campus tour to practice ahead of an actual tour. Afterwards, all participants gathered for a photo session, and the day officially ended with a closing speech from the committee, thanking the Student Buddies for their time and congratulating them.

Overall, the Student Buddy Camp successfully equipped the participants with meaningful knowledge, practical skills, and clearer expectations for their upcoming role. This program is hoped to strengthen their confidence and ability in supporting international students at Universitas Ciputra. With that, congratulations to all official Student Buddies! Your journey doesn’t end here, it starts now!