The Japanese Literature Program of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FIB USU), conducted an International Community Service activity in the form of Monitoring and Evaluation of the International Internship Program at Shigira Seven Miles Resort (Nansai Rakuen Resort), Okinawa, Japan. This activity was part of the Study Program's efforts to monitor the implementation of the internship program while obtaining feedback regarding students' experiences during their activities in the Japanese work environment.

The internship program provided students with opportunities to gain direct work experience at a company for a certain period while developing technical and interpersonal skills relevant to their field of study. For students of the Japanese Literature Program, an internship experience in Japan also provided an opportunity to interact directly with Japanese society, apply their language skills, and understand Japanese culture in real-life and workplace environments.

The internship program included in this activity was a collaboration between the private sector, Go Gakko, and the Japanese Literature Program of FIB USU in implementing the Certified Internship Program. Based on the activity report, the cooperation was established through MoU No. 011/GO GAKKO-MoU/VIII/2022 and 10608.1/UN5.1.R/KPM/2022. The program was designed to help students fulfill academic requirements while gaining direct field experience.

On February 18, 2025, the Japanese Literature Program conducted an International Community Service activity in the form of monitoring and evaluation of the International Internship Program under the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program at Shigira Seven Miles Resort (Nansai Rakuen Resort), Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The activity was conducted through a hotel inspection, interviews, and discussions with the hotel management and students participating in the internship program.

Monitoring was conducted not only of the students' workplace environment but also of their accommodation during their stay in Japan. The inspection provided the community service team with an opportunity to directly observe the environment that formed part of the students' daily lives while participating in the internship program.

One of the main focuses of the activity was monitoring and evaluating students' performance and ethics during their internship. The community service team interviewed students and held direct discussions with hotel management regarding the implementation of the program and students' performance. The activity served as a means of obtaining information about the students' performance of their duties in an actual work environment.

Through direct work experience in Japan, students also had the opportunity to apply the knowledge they had acquired during their studies while developing communication, teamwork, and responsibility skills. Interaction with Japanese people in their daily lives and work environment was expected to help students understand workplace demands while broadening their experience in applying Japanese language and culture.

The monitoring and evaluation activity was also directed toward supporting students' readiness to enter the workforce in Japan. Direct experience in a work environment can provide an overview of actual job demands and help students adapt to different environments and work cultures. This experience can also be one of the considerations for students who wish to work in Japan after completing their education.

The results of the monitoring and evaluation provided information on students' performance and aspects that still need to be developed, particularly Japanese language proficiency and cultural understanding. Based on the activity report, the results of the interviews and discussions will serve as references for the development of courses and the curriculum of the Japanese Literature Program in the future.

In addition to monitoring the implementation of the internship program, this International Community Service activity is expected to strengthen cooperation between the Japanese Literature Program of FIB USU and the hospitality industry in Japan. The cooperation is not only related to the implementation of the International MBKM Internship Program but is also expected to open opportunities for graduates and alumni of the Japanese Literature Program who are interested in pursuing careers in the hospitality industry in various prefectures in Japan.

The activity documentation shows interactions between the community service team, the Director of Shigira Seven Miles Resort, and students participating in the internship program, as well as activities with hotel staff and students in front of the dormitory and discussions with the board of directors and internship students. Other documentation shows the atmosphere of one of the restaurant venues where students carried out their duties at night.

The activity was coordinated by Alimansyar, S.S., M.A., Ph.D., as the team leader, with Rani Arfianty, S.S., M.Phil., Drs. Eman Kusdiyana, M.Hum., Adriana Hasibuan, S.S., M.Hum., and Irwan, S.S., M.Si., as members. The involvement of lecturers from the Japanese Literature Program was part of the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the international internship program.

The Monitoring and Evaluation of the International Internship Program at Shigira Seven Miles Resort, Okinawa, Japan, was one form of the commitment of the Japanese Literature Program of FIB USU to maintaining the quality of students' internship experiences. Through direct inspections, interviews, and discussions with the hotel and students, the Study Program obtained information regarding students' performance, language proficiency, cultural understanding, and ethics during the program. The results of the activity are expected to serve as material for developing learning and the curriculum while strengthening cooperation between the Japanese Literature Program and the hospitality industry in Japan.