From "Fully Funded" to Future Scientist
When Khairu Nadja Raya, an undergraduate Mathematics student at IPB University, applied for the H2O Summer Course, his motivation was refreshingly honest.
“At first, I joined because it was fully funded,” he admits with a laugh.
Curious but unfamiliar with the Blue Economy, before the programme began, Khairu started learning about the Blue Economy, environmental challenges in Indonesia and the possible role of mathematics in addressing them. Coming from a Mathematics background rather than fisheries, he worried that he might struggle to follow the discussions.
Those concerns grew stronger when he arrived. “I realised that many participants were Master’s and PhD students,” he recalls. “I was afraid I would not understand the discussions or have anything meaningful to contribute.”
Instead, he found something completely different.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Rather than finding an intimidating academic environment, Khairu discovered a welcoming international community. Although many participants were Master’s and PhD students, they patiently adapted their discussions, making it easier for him to follow and take part.
Senior researchers and postgraduate students welcomed his questions, explained complex concepts and encouraged discussion, regardless of academic background.
That openness transformed his confidence—not only academically, but personally.
Although he initially felt insecure about his English, spending time with participants from different countries sparked a new curiosity.
“I used to think that learning about other languages, cultures and history was a waste of time because it did not seem connected to my future career,” he says. “But Nico and Jasmin were so excited to learn about Indonesian language and culture. They made me realise that life becomes more interesting when we learn and encounter more things.”
Different participants influenced him in different ways. From Alisa, he learned more about research and connectivity, while Alya impressed him with her professionalism. These encounters showed Khairu that international learning is not limited to formal lectures; it also takes place through conversations, teamwork and the example set by fellow participants.
For Khairu, the experience showed that international learning is about much more than travelling abroad. It is about discovering new perspectives, learning from people with different backgrounds and becoming curious about the world beyond one’s own discipline.
Seeing Problems Through a Different Lens
The programme’s field visits left an even deeper impression.
Standing at Cirata Reservoir and visiting mangrove ecosystems, Khairu witnessed environmental challenges.
“I remember thinking, ‘How can problems like this ever be solved?'” he says.
Before the Summer Course, he believed that solving environmental issues was largely the responsibility of governments. The experience challenged that assumption.
At first, he could only hope that governments would solve these complex environmental challenges. As an individual, he felt powerless.
Instead of accepting that sense of helplessness, it gradually transformed into a new ambition—to become someone who could contribute through science.
“I used to imagine myself becoming a professional in industry or even an entrepreneur, now I want to become a scientist.”
Although he has not yet decided which scientific discipline he will eventually pursue, he knows he wants to continue combining mathematics, informatics and artificial intelligence to address environmental challenges.
For his undergraduate thesis, Khairu is considering a preliminary idea that he calls MathOcean. He hopes to explore whether mathematical approaches could be used to study factors in highland environments and their possible influence on downstream waters and the ocean, potentially using Cirata as a study site. The idea is still at an early stage, but for Khairu, it represents a first step towards connecting mathematics with environmental research.
He laughs at the name. “Maybe it’s a bit cringe,” he jokes. “But that’s genuinely what I want to work on.”
The People Who Added the Colours
The academic lessons were only part of the experience. Equally important were the friendships he built throughout the programme. After the Summer Course ended, Khairu remains in close contact with many fellow participants.
Reflecting on the experience, he smiles. “Without them, the H2O Summer Course would only have been blue, white and green,” he says. “They were the ones who added all the colours.”
For him, those friendships represent more than fond memories. They are reminders that international collaboration is ultimately built on trust, curiosity and shared experiences between people from different countries and disciplines.
More Than a Summer Course
Looking back, Khairu believes the H2O Summer Course changed far more than his academic knowledge.
It strengthened his professionalism, encouraged more scientific thinking, improved his communication skills, broadened his cultural awareness, inspired creativity and, perhaps most importantly, gave him the confidence to imagine a different future.
His journey reflects the broader ambition of STABLE (Higher Education Partnership for a Sustainable Blue Economy), one of the Higher Education Institution (HEI) Clusters under the EU–ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Higher Education Programme (SCOPE-HE). Funded by the European Union through the Global Gateway initiative, SCOPE-HE strengthens higher education cooperation between Europe and Southeast Asia by connecting students, researchers and universities through education, research, innovation and mobility.
For Khairu, the programme did more than introduce the concept of the Blue Economy.
Today, Khairu is still only an undergraduate student. His idea for MathOcean is still taking shape.
But unlike when he first applied for the Summer Course simply because it was fully funded, he now has something far more valuable—a clearer sense of purpose.
And perhaps that is the lasting impact of international collaboration: not only producing new knowledge but inspiring the next generation of researchers who will create it.
About the Programme
The Higher Education Partnership for a Sustainable Blue Economy (STABLE) is one of the Higher Education Institution (HEI) Clusters supported through SCOPE-HE, the EU–ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Higher Education.
Supported by the European Union under the Global Gateway initiative, SCOPE-HE strengthens collaboration between higher education institutions across Europe and Southeast Asia. Through STABLE, students, researchers and academics work together to advance education, research and innovation for a sustainable Blue Economy.
Read more about STABLE: https://scopehe-stable.ipb.ac.id/
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