Indonesian Students’ Motivation to Pursue Tertiary Education in Japan

The number of Indonesian students in higher education has been increasing rapidly. However, many Indonesian university students report experiencing mental distress. Research on student wellbeing found that self-compassion (i.e., being kind towards oneself in challenging times) and academic engagement (i.e., a commitment and purposeful effort toward study) are essential to students’ mental wellbeing. With the present study, we aimed to assess the mental wellbeing of Indonesian students. A convenience sample of 156 Indonesian students completed self-report measures on mental wellbeing, self-compassion and academic engagement (consisting of vigour, dedication and absorption). To contextualise their mental wellbeing, data from Indonesian students were compared with those from 145 UK students using Welch t-tests. Correlation, regression and mediation analyses were then performed to examine the relationships among these variables. Indonesian students had higher levels of self-compassion and absorption and a lower level of dedication than UK students. Self-compassion and academic engagement explained 36% of variance in mental wellbeing. Self-compassion and vigour were identified as significant predictors of mental wellbeing, whereas self-compassion was the strongest predictor. Lastly, vigour did not mediate the pathway from self-compassion to mental wellbeing. Interventions to support self-compassion and academic engagement, especially vigour, in Indonesian students are recommended to support their mental wellbeing.

Despite extensive research on achievement motivation, few studies have integrated the role of students' social relationships—particularly with teachers and peers—within the broader cultural context, especially in collectivist societies. This study addresses that gap by examining whether teacher-student and peer relationships predict achievement motivation and whether collectivist cultural values moderate these associations among Indonesian junior high school students. A total of 317 participants completed standardized questionnaires measuring relationship quality, collectivist orientation, and achievement motivation. Data were analyzed using multiple regression and moderation analysis based on the F. Hayes method. The findings confirmed that both teacher-student and peer relationships significantly predict achievement motivation. However, a novel and unexpected result emerged: collectivist culture did not significantly moderate these relationships. This challenges prevailing theoretical assumptions that collectivist values amplify social influences on motivation and suggests a cultural shift among Generation Z Indonesian students toward more individualistic orientations. These results contribute new insights to motivation research by questioning the continued salience of collectivist values in shaping achievement motivation within modern, digital-age cohorts. The study offers theoretical implications for cross-cultural psychology and practical recommendations for fostering student motivation in evolving cultural contexts.

Children away from their parents while pursuing higher education at universities face new challenges in managing their finances and preparing to be financially independent. This study analysed and compared the effects of parental financial socialisation and financial literacy on Indonesian and Malaysian university students' financial behaviour. In total, 204 students from the Faculty of Human Ecology at IPB University and Universiti Putra Malaysia participated in the study. Data were gathered using a self-reporting questionnaire using the convenience sampling method. The independent sample t-test and multiple regression analysis were performed on the data. The results of the t-test showed that Malaysian students scored significantly higher in parental financial socialisation and financial behaviour but lower in financial literacy than Indonesian students. Moreover, the regression analyses revealed that parental financial socialisation and students' financial literacy were highly significant in influencing the sampled students' financial behaviour. However, by splitting the sample based on the student's country of origin, this study demonstrated that Malaysian students' financial behaviour was only significantly influenced by parental financial socialisation, while Indonesian students' financial behaviour was only significantly determined by financial literacy. These findings implied that Malaysian parents were more involved in shaping their children's financial behaviour or decisions. In contrast, Indonesian students were more independent from their parents, and their financial literacy level predominantly influenced their financial behaviour.

The rapidly increasing popularity of K-dramas among Muslim students in Indonesia has raised concerns about their impact on their religious values, as intense exposure to the culture and lifestyle depicted in K-dramas may influence Muslim students' religious perceptions and practices. In this case, this study aims to examine whether there is a correlation between the intensity of watching K-dramas and changes in religious values and practice among Islamic Education students from the batch of 2019 at UIN Raden Intan Lampung. The research uses a quantitative survey method by collecting data through a Likert scale questionnaire. The data analysis used Pearson Product-moment correlation analysis and simple linear regression. The results indicate that a significance value of 0.011 < 0.05 was obtained, leading to the rejection of H0 and acceptance of H1. This suggests a significant influence between the intensity of watching K-dramas and changes in student religious values and practice. Therefore, it is recommended that students be wiser in using their time and increase their religious activities. Moreover, educational institutions should also strengthen programs that support religious practices.

Education is a human need that must always develop according to time. The rapid development in the world of education and technology is a benchmark for the quality of increasing the achievement and motivation of higher education students in Indonesia. Therefore, to improve achievement and motivation to learn, the strategy taken is to make changes in terms of learning which is usually too menotonous now no longer, so as a lecturer must be able to create creative teaching strategies so as to improve the achievement and motivation of college students to learn even better, the strategy is to stop changing the way of learning that has been usually too monotonous. Therefore, as a lecturer must be able to develop creative teaching strategies to be able to improve student learning achievement and strengthen motivation, with a more interesting and fun learning strategy so that students are more enthusiastic about learning. The purpose of this study was to determine creative teaching strategies to improve the achievement and motivation of college students in Indonesia. This research method uses quantitative research methods, where the data is obtained from the results of distributing questionnaires online. The results showed that creative teaching strategies were able to improve student achievement and motivation. From this research, it can be concluded that the application of creative teaching strategies which aims to improve student achievement and motivation to learn has proven to be effective. The limitation of this study is that researchers can only conduct research on teaching strategies when there are many more strategies that can increase student creativity and motivation. The researcher hopes that future researchers can conduct research related to teaching strategies to increase student creativity and learning motivation but by using other strategies. This study also recommends that future researchers make this research a reference in conducting research on improving student creativity and motivation through teaching strategies.

This study aims to compare the experiences of married students in maintaining a balance between academic and family life in Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam. This study used a comparative qualitative research method with a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis. Data analysis was conducted using the Miles and Huberman model. This study's findings show significant differences and similarities in the motives for continuing postgraduate studies between married students in Brunei and Indonesia. Students in Brunei tend to be driven by internal motives such as self-development and personal satisfaction, with government support and scholarship programs playing an important role in their motivation. In contrast, students in Indonesia focus more on career achievement and professional incentives such as salary increases and scholarships, as well as personal satisfaction from academic achievement. Significant differences also emerged in academic achievement, domestic relationships, and career progression. The financial support provided by the Brunei government allows students to focus more on their studies and maintain a balanced home life. In contrast, students in Indonesia often have to bear the financial burden alone, which results in stress and delays in graduation. Financial pressures in Indonesia also affect the stability of domestic relationships and long-term career planning, with students focusing more on short-term employment than future planning. These findings support the Work-Family Balance theory, providing recommendations that institutional religion and cultural norms should develop adaptive policies so that students can face dual demands in a balanced manner.

Academic dishonesty remains a persistent issue in higher education, undermining academic integrity and fairness. Peer reporting is a potential deterrent; however, it is underutilized, particularly in collectivist cultures like Indonesia, where group cohesion is highly valued. This study investigates the types of academic dishonesty, levels of empathic concern, and students’ intentions to report a classmate’s misconduct. A survey was conducted among 228 Indonesian university students, assessing peer reporting intentions in response to two hypothetical scenarios—exam cheating and plagiarism. Empathic concern was measured using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Findings indicate significant differences in peer reporting intentions based on the type of academic dishonesty. Students were more inclined to report exam cheating than plagiarism (t = 10.545, p .001). Additionally, empathic concern negatively influenced the likelihood of reporting exam cheating (F = 7.572, p.05), suggesting that students with higher empathic concern were less likely to report misconduct. These findings underscore the need for universities to establish explicit policies and clear peer reporting procedures for all forms of academic dishonesty. Addressing students' empathic concerns when promoting ethical behavior is crucial in fostering a culture of academic integrity. Understanding the interplay between cultural values, academic dishonesty, and empathic concern is vital for designing effective interventions that encourage academic integrity in higher education.

Research has shown that the teacher-student interpersonal relationship (TSIR) is important for student motivation. Although TSIR has received a growing interest, there are only few studies that focus on changes and links between TSIR and student academic motivation in a longitudinal fashion in non-Western contexts. This study investigated changes in TSIR and links with academic motivation as perceived by first-grade secondary school students in Indonesia. TSIR was studied from the perspective of interpersonal behaviour in terms of Influence and Proximity. Students' academic motivation was studied from the perspective of self-determination theory. A total of 504 first-grade secondary school students of 16 mathematics and English classes participated in the study. Surveys were administered in five waves throughout the school year. Multilevel growth curve modelling was applied. Contrary to the (limited) general research findings from Western contexts, we found that the quality of TSIR (student perceptions) increased over time. The increase was slightly more pronounced for Proximity than for Influence. In accordance with the findings for the Western countries, the level of students' controlled motivation increased, while that of autonomous motivation decreased over time. However, the negative change in autonomous motivation was less pronounced. As in Western countries, TSIR was longitudinally linked with academic motivation, in particular, with autonomous motivation. Evidence is found that TSIR can change in a favourable way, and this positively affects student motivation. Future research could benefit from unravelling the influences of cultures on changes in TSIR in broader contexts.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore Indonesian students' perceptions of student exchanges or studies abroad regarding cultural intelligence's influence on innovative behavior through interpersonal trust.Design/methodology/approachThis study has used a quantitative research approach. Data analysis uses an approach structural equation modeling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS) supported by program computer software Smart-PLS 3.0. An online questionnaire was distributed to 224 respondents, but only 214 were qualified. In this study, the respondent is Indonesian students who have been completed or are currently conducting student exchanges or studying abroad in the Asia and Australia region.FindingsThis pilot study reveals that high cultural intelligence students positively affect their individuals' innovative behavior. Moreover, interpersonal trust levels would mediate the influence of cultural intelligence on individual innovative behavior students. These results indicate that most Indonesian citizen students who took part in student exchanges or studying abroad had high cultural intelligence.Originality/valueThis study focused on influence cultural intelligence on individuals' innovative behavior, which is referred to as cross-cultural interaction. Also, this study focused on Indonesian citizen students who took part in student exchanges or studying abroad. This kind of research has not been thoroughly or even not been discussed in academic research. Therefore, it was necessary to put this issue into a science education and management science.

The transformation of higher education in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Society 5.0 demands graduates who are not only theoretically proficient but also practically competent, adaptable, and ready to face an unpredictable job market. In response to this challenge, the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology launched the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program, aiming to bridge the gap between academic learning and professional demands. This study investigates the extent to which Indonesian undergraduate students are prepared to enter the workforce through their participation in MBKM activities. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the research draws on primary data collected through observations, interviews, and document analysis involving students, academic supervisors, and industry partners at Institut Islam Al-Mujaddid Sabak. The findings reveal that while MBKM fosters discipline, communication, teamwork, and exposure to real-world work environments, students' overall readiness varies depending on internal motivation, emotional maturity, and the quality of institutional support. This article contributes to the discourse on educational reform by offering a multidimensional framework of student readiness, rooted in experiential learning theory, and highlights the need for more inclusive and structured MBKM implementation across higher education institutions in Indonesia.

Since more Indonesian students are coming to pursue higher education in China, understanding the factors influencing Indonesian students? satisfaction could facilitate Chinese higher education institutions and the policymakers to improve and develop their services to match the needs of current Indonesian students in China and to attract potential Indonesian students to study in Chinese higher education institutions. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were (1) to analyze influential factors on Indonesian students? satisfaction toward Chinese higher education, (2) to examine level of Indonesian students? satisfaction toward Chinese higher education, and (3) to provide recommendations for both Chinese higher education institutions and the related policymakers. This study applied quantitative approach by using questionnaire as a tool to collect primary data from the 215 Indonesian students currently studying in several universities in Wuhan. The findings indicated four factors have significant positive influence on Indonesian students? satisfaction toward Chinese higher education. These four factors are education service, infrastructure and staff support, safety, and students? preparation before coming to China. The multiple regression models with these four factors could predict 60.8% of the variance in the overall Indonesian students? satisfaction.

Background: In Japanese higher education, the integration of English through English-Medium Instruction (EMI) poses both opportunities and challenges for international students, particularly those from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Aims: This study explores the experiences of Indonesian students in using English for academic purposes in Japanese universities, focusing on their views, challenges, and adaptation strategies. Methods: Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with five Indonesian postgraduate students studying across diverse academic backgrounds in various universities in Japan. Document analysis was also conducted to support the interview data. Results: This study revealed that English is essential for accessing academic resources and engaging in international interactions. However, students still face challenges in pronunciation, academic writing, vocabulary, presentation norms, and expressing ideas confidently and clearly. They use various strategies such as self-directed learning, digital tools, peer interaction, and institutional support to adapt. Implications: The study highlights the need for more inclusive EMI policies and better language support services in Japanese universities. It also emphasises that language learning in EMI contexts is socially, culturally, and emotionally complex, requiring internal motivation, social interaction, and institutional responsiveness.

This study explores the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in translation learning among Indonesian higher education institution students. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected from ten English education department students through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed six interrelated themes: enhanced efficiency, hybrid human-machine practices, increased learner autonomy, critical awareness of AI limitations, emotional engagement, and equity challenges. While students recognized AI as a valuable tool for streamlining translation tasks and fostering self-directed learning, they also demonstrated caution regarding overreliance and contextual inaccuracies. Most adopted a balanced approach, integrating AI outputs with manual verification and teacher feedback. Emotional comfort and confidence were developed, yet unequal access to premium tools and infrastructure posed barriers. These findings highlight the need for ethically grounded, learner-centered AI integration strategies that promote critical literacy and equitable access across diverse educational contexts in Indonesia. The study concludes by proposing a concept of AI-Integrated Translation that balances technological innovation into translation pedagogy in Indonesian higher education institutions.

This study aims to adapt and validate the ChatGPT Usage Scale among Indonesian university students. Using a quantitative psychometric approach, data were collected from 542 active university students across Indonesia selected through convenience sampling. The adaptation followed the International Test Commission (2017) guidelines. Content validity using Aiken’s V showed a high value (0.894). The initial Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated poor fit (CFI = 0.741; TLI = 0.698), but after removing eight items with factor loadings below 0.40, the seven-item model achieved good fit (CFI = 0.949; TLI = 0.924; RMSEA = 0.056; SRMR = 0.034). The Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (0.703) indicated acceptable reliability. Findings revealed that the original three-dimensions structure (Academic Writing Aid, Academic Task Support, and Reliance and Trust) was not fully supported in the Indonesian student context. The Reliance and Trust dimension could not be retained due to insufficient valid indicators. Despite achieving a statistically fit model, the adapted version remains conceptually limited and requires further refinement to comprehensively capture ChatGPT usage behavior among Indonesian students. Indonesian students primarily use ChatGPT instrumentally with limited trust, highlighting the need for higher education institutions to integrate AI literacy, ethical usage guidelines, and reflective learning practices. Furthermore, the adapted scale provides a foundation for future research to better understand AI utilization in academic contexts.

This study explores attitudes towards the poor among Christian and Muslim secondary school students in Indonesia. Are there significant differences between Muslims and Christians with regard to these attitudes and, if any, how could they be explained? The authors argue that there is little reason to expect differences based on religious affiliation alone, because both Christianity and Islam pay special attention to poverty alleviation and economic justice in teachings and moral guidelines. However, specific religious beliefs and practices could still result in different attitudes towards the poor among Muslims and Christians. This study investigates to what extent beliefs such as attitudes towards religious plurality, fundamentalism, religious salience and religious practices are related with attitudes towards the poor. The potential differential effects of non-religious factors like socio-economic status, social dominance orientation, bonding and bridging social capital, compassion and school activities are also taken into account.