Strengthening the Quality of the Internship Program through Evaluation of Student Performance, Language, Culture, and Ethics

The Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FIB USU), conducted International Community Service in the form of Monitoring and Evaluation (Monev) of the International Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Internship Program at Miyakojima Tokyu Hotel & Resorts, Okinawa, Japan. This activity was part of the Study Program's efforts to ensure that the internship program provides meaningful work experience while supporting students' readiness to enter the workforce.

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

The Certified Internship Program, which was part of this activity, was a collaboration between Go Gakko and the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature of FIB USU. Based on the activity report, the collaboration was formalized through MoU No. 011/GO GAKKO-MoU/VIII/2022 and 10608.1/UN5.1.R/KPM/2022, signed by the Rector of USU. The program was designed to help students fulfill academic requirements while gaining direct experience in the workplace.

Monitoring and evaluation were conducted directly on February 18, 2025, at Miyakojima Tokyu Hotel & Resorts, Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The Study Program team reviewed the hotel environment, conducted interviews, and held discussions with the hotel management and students of the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature who were participating in the internship program. The review also included the students' accommodation to obtain a more comprehensive overview of their conditions while participating in the program in Japan.

One of the main focuses of the activity was to evaluate students' performance and ethics during the internship program. Through interviews and discussions with the hotel, the community service team obtained feedback regarding students' task performance, communication skills, teamwork, responsibility, and application of the knowledge acquired during their studies in an actual work environment.

The internship experience also provided students with the opportunity to interact directly with Japanese society and apply the language skills and cultural understanding acquired during their studies. Interaction in daily life and work environments was expected to help students understand the demands of the workplace in Japan, improve communication and teamwork skills, and reduce the possibility of experiencing culture shock while living in a new environment.

The results of the monitoring and evaluation provided input for the Study Program to identify students' performance and aspects that still needed to be developed, particularly Japanese language proficiency and understanding of Japanese culture. The information obtained from the interviews and discussions could subsequently serve as a reference for developing courses and the curriculum of the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature in the future.

In addition to evaluating the implementation of the internship program, this activity also strengthened the relationship between the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature of FIB USU and the industrial sector in Japan. The collaboration not only supported the implementation of the International MBKM Internship Program but also opened opportunities for developing networks for students and graduates of the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature who are interested in pursuing careers in the Japanese hospitality industry.

This International Community Service activity was coordinated by Alimansyar, S.S., M.A., Ph.D. as the team leader, with Rani Arfianty, S.S., M.Phill., Drs. Eman Kusdiyana, M.Hum., Adriana Hasibuan, S.S., M.Hum., and Irwan, S.S., M.Si. as members. The activity documentation showed interactions between the community service team and Miyakojima Tokyu Hotel & Resorts, including the presentation of a souvenir to the hotel director, discussions and interviews regarding student performance, as well as meetings with students in the hotel dormitory.

The Monitoring and Evaluation of the International Internship Program at Miyakojima Tokyu Hotel & Resorts was one form of the commitment of the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature of FIB USU to maintaining the quality of students' learning experiences through direct involvement in the workplace. Through reviews, interviews, and discussions with the hotel and students, this activity provided input regarding students' performance, language proficiency, cultural understanding, and ethics during the internship program. The evaluation results were expected to support the development of learning and the curriculum while strengthening the collaboration between the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature and the hospitality industry in Japan.