With the start of a new school year, KAIST saw many changes: new buildings, new policies, and most importantly new leadership. As the whole school adjusts to the new president of KAIST, the KAIST International Student Association (KISA) also begins the school year with the inauguration of a new president, Ms. Zahroh. The KAIST Herald met with the president to discuss her upcoming term.

▲ Rana Zahroh Islamiah, president of KISA

First, could you please introduce yourself and your involvement with KISA prior to becoming president?
Hello, my name is Rana Zahroh Islamiah from Indonesia and I am currently in my 4th semester, majoring in the Department of Biological Sciences. Before becoming president, I was in KISA for one year as a member of the events committee and I also served as treasurer.

From your two years at KAIST, what would you consider to be one of the largest problems for international students?
I think that the largest issue is adjusting to the new culture, especially learning the Korean language. Although most courses are taught in English, I have heard of instances in which students have been asked to leave class so that the course could be taught in Korean for the comfort of the Korean majority. Although this is not a common occurrence, it places undue pressure on international students, especially while taking major courses where the ratio of Korean students to international students is significantly greater as compared to the general courses.

How would you go about addressing this issue?
Starting last semester, KISA has hosted a sensitivity training during which a group of students met to address and discuss some of the misunderstandings between Korean and international students due to cultural differences. We hope to continue this event on a regular basis and introduce a language exchange program that would not only increase interactions between students but also provide a great opportunity to learn foreign languages like Russian and French from fluent speakers.

With a year-long term, do you have any primary goals that you would like achieve?
In my election manifesto, I declared that one of my long-term goals would be improving the value of academic experience for international students. I would like to create an event that would invite international alumni back to KAIST to discuss their experiences with the currently enrolled international students. During this event, students will gain much insight from the academic experiences of some of their seniors as well as learn about post-graduate opportunities in South Korea and abroad.
Many international students come to Korea confused and helpless, immersed by the foreign culture and environment. But when alumni share their knowledge and experiences at KAIST and beyond in Korea after graduating, students will be reassured, realizing that they are not alone and that some of their seniors had also been in similar situations, overcame their troubles, and succeeded to their current positions. By strengthening the alumni network, I hope that students will be able to truly benefit from their education here at KAIST and be exposed to opportunities that will help them to direct the dedication that brought them to KAIST back to society.

Finally, if international students (full-time and exchange) have any questions or concerns, what should they do for assistance?
There are so many people who are willing to offer guidance and help. During the week, students can visit the OASIS office on the first floor of W2-1. OASIS has always been welcoming and understanding to all foreign students, supporting and assisting many KISA activities. Additionally, students can go to the KISA homepage (http://kisa.kaist.ac.kr) and find contact information of KISA cabinet members, or they can post messages on the KISA Facebook group. Lastly, if students would like to contact me directly, they are welcome to send an email to ranaiz@kaist.ac.kr.

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