Flavien Geoffray, an ITS international student from France, chooses some clothes from Surabaya’s original Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) products

Surabaya, ITS News – The post-pandemic encourages Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) to get up. Therefore, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) invites international students to learn the original Surabaya Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) creative products at Surabaya Craft Gallery MERR on Wednesday (12/4).

Starting the activity, the Chief Executive who is Emharis Gigih Pratama MA explained that introducing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) to international students is a form of ITS commitment to develop local products. “This activity is also an event for the promotion of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) Surabaya products to a wider audience,” Haris said.

In this activity, initiated by ITS Global Engagement Directorate (DKG), internarional students from Malaysia, Czech, Russia, and France were introduced to multiple Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) Surabaya products. Besides, international students also have the opportunity to buy many products from bags and accessories to clothes at the center of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) in the City of Heroes with shopping coupons provided by the executors.

Roman Makarov (left) from Russia and Adela Krylova (right) from the Czech Republic are choosing accessories from Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) Surabaya products

One of the international students who had the opportunity to participate in this activity, Alexiane Laroye, admitted that she is interested in this event. Alexiane revealed that it was the first time she was introduced to the original Indonesian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) products. “The original Indonesian UMKM products have good quality,” said the student with French nationality.

The same thing was also expressed by the managing coordinator of Surabaya Kriya Gallery, Titik Pertiwi SPd, who explained that the original Indonesian UMKM products have a potential to overgrow if they get the support from many parties. In this case, Titik appreciates the activities that ITS has conducted by introducing UMKM products to their international students.

Alexiane Laroye (left) and Raphael Bunly Bureau (right), ITS international students from France, after shopping some UMKM products at Surabaya Kriya MERR Gallery

According to Titik, this kind of program is another way to expand the market share of UMKM products. Therefore, more and more consumers will be reached by these local Surabaya products. “The more consumers we reach, the faster our UMKM development will be,” he added.

Emharis Gigih Pratama (right) distributes shopping coupons to ITS international students in order to introduce these UMKM products

Haris revealed that ITS is committed to consistently conduct similar programs as a support for Surabaya City Government programs, especially to promote UMKM actors. “Hopefully, this activity can make UMKM Surabaya creative products more and more loved by all customers,” Haris concluded hopefully. (ITS PUBLIC RELATION)

Reporter: Mohammad Febryan Khamim