University Day 2026: Exploring Opportunities Beyond the Classroom
By Anne Irma Tobing (Bahasa Indonesia and French teacher)
On September 4, 2026, Medan Independent School hosted University Day 2026, an event designed to give MYP 5 to DP2 students a broader understanding of university opportunities, academic programmes, and campus life. The event provided students with the opportunity to hear directly from university representatives and gain a better sense of what their future studies and university experience might look like.
University Day was organized to help students explore different pathways before making important decisions about their future studies. Through presentations from university representatives, students learned not only about academic programmes and study options, but also about the experiences, opportunities, and characteristics of different institutions.
The event was organized with the support and approval of the School Principal, Mr. Gaetano, and in coordination with the DP Coordinator, Mr. Pringle. The preparation and coordination process took approximately one month, including communicating with university representatives and finding suitable times for each institution to participate.
On Friday, September 4, students from MYP 5 through DP2 took part in University Day, which ran from 7:55 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Representatives from four universities and educational institutions joined the programme: Kyoto University of Advanced Science (KUAS), Singapore Management University (SMU), Campus France, and Sampoerna University. KUAS and SMU joined the event online, while the other sessions included direct interaction with representatives on site. The combination of online and in-person sessions demonstrated how technology can help connect our students with universities and educational opportunities beyond Indonesia.
The presentations ran smoothly, and students had the opportunity to learn about different programmes, study environments, and university experiences. The question-and-answer sessions were also engaging, allowing students to ask questions and gain further information about studying at university.
The in-person session was equally engaging, giving students the opportunity to interact more directly with the university representative. Having different presentation formats made the event more dynamic and provided students with a variety of ways to engage, ask questions, and explore their future options.
Following the University Day presentations, DP students had an additional opportunity to take part in an online scholarship test offered by Sampoerna University. The test took place from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and gave interested students the opportunity to explore potential scholarship opportunities for their future studies.
Overall, University Day 2026 was a successful and meaningful event, giving students valuable exposure to different universities, academic programmes, and pathways they may not have previously considered.
We hope University Day will continue to be an opportunity for MIS students in the future. By connecting with university representatives and exploring different pathways, students can broaden their perspectives and make more informed decisions as they begin to consider which field of study and university best match their interests, aspirations, and future goals.
More than just a series of university presentations, University Day gave our students a chance to look beyond the classroom, explore new possibilities, and begin imagining where their learning journey might take them after MIS.
