SEMARANG — The Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences (FAAS) at Diponegoro University (UNDIP) continues to demonstrate its commitment to expanding global perspectives and advancing academic excellence internationally. This initiative was realized through the participation of two undergraduate Animal Science students from the class of 2024, Fatma Khumaida and Dimaz Radithya Fardhan Ael Faqih, in the Student Go International (MBKM Internship) program at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The one-month international internship took place from July 6 to August 7, 2026.
During their internship at UPLB, both FAAS UNDIP students had the valuable opportunity to gain comprehensive knowledge, spanning from upstream livestock management to downstream product processing. The learning journey began at the buffalo housing facilities, where they observed herd management systems firsthand, practiced semen collection and frozen semen production for breeding programs, and mastered buffalo milking techniques using milking parlors equipped with milk quality testing and udder health monitoring via the California Mastitis Test (CMT).
The participants’ experience was further enriched at the UPLB Milk Processing Unit, where they studied product diversification technologies for buffalo milk. In this phase, they were trained to process fresh buffalo milk into various high-value products, including fresh milk, chocolate milk, flavored milk, lacto juice, yogurt, yogurt drinks, white cheese, mozzarella, gelato, milk-o gel, and pastillas, a traditional sweet delicacy from the Philippines. This hands-on training highlighted the significant potential of buffalo milk as a diverse and competitive consumer commodity.
Beyond focusing on production and processing techniques, Fatma and Dimaz also acquired essential knowledge regarding quality assurance standards and commercialization at the dairy laboratory and UPLB’s official retail outlet, “Milka Krem.” In the milk laboratory, they carried out quality control procedures to ensure food safety and product standards before items entered the market. At “Milka Krem,” both students engaged directly with customers, managed retail sales, and prepared daily operational reports as part of their practical training in livestock agribusiness management.
The participation of FAAS UNDIP students in this international program serves as a vital momentum to adopt modern livestock science and technology implemented abroad. Upon returning to Indonesia, the practical skills and insights gained from UPLB are expected to be shared with fellow students and applied to drive innovation and advancement across the national livestock industry, particularly in developing buffalo milk processing.