Students from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), have once again achieved an inspiring milestone in a Japanese language competition. The FIB UGM student team successfully secured 1st Place in the Chuukyuu (intermediate level) category at the 23rd Kanji Cup, held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the LP3M building of Universitas Negeri Surabaya (Unesa).

The competition was organized by the Consulate General of Japan in Surabaya, the IMC Center, and The Japan Foundation, Jakarta. The Kanji Cup is an annual competition that tests participants’ mastery of kanji, a vital aspect of learning the Japanese language.

The victorious FIB UGM team in the Chuukyuu category consisted of two Japanese Language and Culture Study Program students: Muhammad Alimahdi and Koeszahra Ganyo Saharasza. Both demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork in overcoming various challenges related to intermediate-level kanji proficiency.

This achievement serves as tangible proof of the ability of FIB UGM Japanese Language and Culture students to apply the knowledge gained during their lectures. Beyond testing kanji proficiency, the competition provided a valuable opportunity for students to develop thoroughness, quick thinking, and collaborative skills in a competitive environment.

This success is expected to motivate other students to continuously improve their Japanese language skills, both through academic activities and participation in various competitions. The Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at FIB UGM also hopes that this accomplishment will serve as an ongoing encouragement to enhance learning quality and support student potential in achieving success on a broader scale.

Author: Humas FIB, Zaidan Abdurrahman

The Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), in collaboration with the Art Conservation Study Program at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta, the Yogyakarta Philosophical Axis Area Management Agency (BPKSF), and Technische Universität (TU) Wien, Austria, organized a workshop titled “From Tugu to Panggung Krapyak: Storytelling about Yogyakarta’s Philosophical Axis for Children” on September 1–2, 2026. Held in Room 709, Soegondo Building, FIB UGM, this event aimed to introduce the cultural heritage values of Yogyakarta’s Philosophical Axis to children through creative and interactive storytelling.

The workshop featured speakers from all four collaborating institutions: Dr. Novi Siti Kussuji Indrastuti, M.Hum., Head of the Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program at FIB UGM; Dr. Prima Dona Hapsari, M.Hum., Head of the Art Conservation Study Program at ISI Yogyakarta; Nano Warsono, M.Sn., from ISI Yogyakarta; Drs. Aryanto Hendro Suprantoro, Head of the Yogyakarta Philosophical Axis Area Management Agency; and Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Ulrike Herbig from TU Wien, Austria. This collaboration brought together perspectives in literature, art, cultural heritage management, and academic studies to develop culturally appropriate ways of conveying cultural values tailored to children.

Yogyakarta’s Philosophical Axis consists not only of historical buildings and areas but also embodies philosophical values and cultural knowledge that are vital to pass down to future generations. Through storytelling, these values are transformed into narratives closely aligned with children’s experiences. Characters, fairy tales, wayang (puppetry), songs, and games can be utilized as media to help children recognize and understand the meaning of Yogyakarta’s Philosophical Axis in an engaging way.

During this workshop, children’s literature students from the Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program at FIB UGM were involved in story development and storytelling practices. Meanwhile, students from the Art Conservation Study Program at ISI Yogyakarta contributed by developing properties and interactive visual media to support the storytelling. This activity served as a practical space for students to develop creative approaches in introducing cultural heritage to children.

The series of activities continued with an exhibition during the JWHF agenda on September 29, 2026, in front of the Yogyakarta City DPRD Building. Students from the Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program at FIB UGM actively assisted and manned the exhibition booth, introducing Yogyakarta’s Philosophical Axis through live oral storytelling to visitors. This direct oral presentation served as an effective way to bring the philosophical and historical values of the Philosophical Axis closer to the public in an interesting and easily digestible manner. Student involvement in this initiative also supports cultural heritage preservation efforts through youth participation.

This collaboration aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 4 on Quality Education through the development of creative and inclusive cultural learning, and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals through cooperation between universities and cultural heritage management institutions.

Author: Indonesian Language and Culture

Yogyakarta, October 19, 2026 — Proud news comes from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Two students from the Cultural Anthropology Study Program, Nasywa Adinda Ibrahim (Class of 2024) and Dinaesy Fadillah Hidayat (Class of 2025), have successfully qualified as participants in the 39th National Student Scientific Week (PIMNAS 39). This national-level scientific event will be held at Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, from November 2–7, 2026.

This achievement is the result of a long series of Student Creativity Program (PKM) implementations spanning approximately four to five months. Both students, along with their respective teams, navigated various stages, ranging from field research to the Student Creativity Program Progress Assessment (PKP2). Following this rigorous process, the announcement of qualifying for PIMNAS 39 marks a proud milestone for FIB UGM students.

Nasywa Adinda Ibrahim is a member of the Social Humanities Research Student Creativity Program (PKM-RSH) team, collaborating with students from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL). The team’s research is entitled “The Paradox of Cultural Revitalization: Local Community Strategies in Facing Retail Gentrification in Kampung Batik Kauman, Solo.” The study was conducted through field research to understand how local communities navigate social and economic shifts driven by retail development in the Kampung Batik Kauman area of Solo. Through this thorough research journey, Nasywa and her team successfully advanced their work to the PIMNAS 39 stage.

Meanwhile, Dinaesy Fadillah Hidayat is part of the Exact Sciences Research Student Creativity Program (PKM-RE) team, collaborating with students from science and technology fields. The team developed research on utilizing rice straw as a raw material for hard carbon anodes in sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries. Their research is entitled “Engineering the Structure of Nitrogen-Doped Hard Carbon Derived from Rice Straw with Graphite Waste Spacers to Enhance the Performance of Sodium-Ion Battery Anodes.” This research focuses on engineering structural materials derived from agricultural waste and graphite to boost the performance of sodium-ion battery anodes. Successfully passing the various PKM stages brought Dinaesy and her team to secure a spot at PIMNAS 39.

The success of these two students demonstrates that FIB UGM students have ample opportunities to contribute across diverse research fields, spanning both the social humanities and science and technology. The involvement of Anthropology students in both teams also highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in developing innovative research that benefits society.

This achievement is expected to inspire other FIB UGM students to continue generating ideas, conducting research, and daring to compete at the national level. The entire academic community of FIB UGM extends its appreciation to Nasywa Adinda Ibrahim and Dinaesy Fadillah Hidayat, along with their respective teams. May both teams navigate the entire PIMNAS 39 series smoothly and achieve the best possible results.

Author: Humas FIB, Zaidan Abdurrahman

Yogyakarta, September 30, 2026 — The Undergraduate Program in Indonesian Language and Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), in collaboration with Kompas Gramedia, Bentara Budaya, and Penerbit Julang, held the launch of Janji yang Harus Ditepati: Promises to Keep, a collection of poetry by Sitor Situmorang, edited and translated by Harry Aveling. The event took place on Wednesday (30/9) starting at 1:00 PM Western Indonesia Time (WIB) until completion, in Room 709, 7th Floor of the Soegondo Building, FIB UGM.

The book launch featured several speakers from literary, academic, and literary translation backgrounds. Harry Aveling participated as a literary translator, Keith Foulcher as a literary historian, Muhammad Haji Salleh as an academic and national poet, and Ramayda Akmal as a writer and lecturer at FIB UGM. Three of the speakers—Harry Aveling, Keith Foulcher, and Muhammad Haji Salleh—joined the discussion online, while Ramayda Akmal attended in person. The discussion was moderated by Ni Made Purnama Sari, a writer.

In addition to the discussion, the event featured poetry readings by Rinai Yasmin, Ratu Bagus Lembayung, Alna Hafifah, and Ki Winarto Sabdo. Two of the poetry performers, Ratu Bagus Lembayung and Alna Hafifah, are students of the Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program at FIB UGM. These poetry readings served as a medium to bring Sitor Situmorang’s literary works directly to the audience while broadening appreciation for Indonesian poetry through the readers’ interpretations.

This book launch provided an opportunity to connect readers with Sitor Situmorang’s works through the lenses of editing, translation, literary criticism, and poetry performance. The diverse backgrounds of the speakers also opened up avenues for exchanging ideas regarding Indonesian literature and the role of translation in expanding cross-lingual readership.

The collaboration between the Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program of FIB UGM, Bentara Budaya, and Julang forms part of an effort to expand the space for literary appreciation and discussion through partnerships between educational institutions and cultural organizations. This event supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education through the reinforcement of literacy and literary appreciation, as well as SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals through cross-institutional collaboration in supporting the development and promotion of literary works.

Author: Indonesian Language and Literature Program

Yogyakarta, October 4, 2026 —The Cultural Anthropology Department’s orientation program for new undergraduate students (BERKAWANT), which had been running for 5 (five) weeks, finally reached its final day—the culmination and closing event of the series—held at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM, attended by the academic community of the Cultural Anthropology Department.

BERKAWANT began on August 23, 2026, as an orientation to introduce the dynamics of Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, under the theme “Jumpa Maba” (New Student Gathering), led by Cultural Anthropology faculty members, including Dr. Agung Wicaksono, S.Ant., M.A., Head of the Department of Anthropology at UGM, followed on August 29 by a seminar titled “Rembukant,” which explored the scope of Anthropology as both a discipline and a practice, featuring Dr. Sita Hidayah, S.Ant., M.A., Chair of the Cultural Anthropology Undergraduate Program. Also related to the world of literature, on September 12, a “WKP” Writing Workshop was held, facilitated by Dr. Muhammad Zamzam Fauzanafi, S.Ant., M.A. The insights gained over the following weeks were applied through field research on campus and showcased at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, as part of the BERKAWANT series—specifically the “Pamerant” exhibition, which ran for five consecutive days with a shift system organized by research theme groups. The event concluded with the BERKAWANT culminating ceremony.

The BERKAWANT culminating event featured a program meticulously prepared by the organizing committee, comprising various activities aligned with reflective cultural studies—one of which was a journey through “ant” stations themed around the 10 cultural elements identified by Prof. Drs. Heddy Shri Ahimsa -Putra, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. There was also a symbolic induction of new students through a ritual depicting the journey of life, followed by an awards ceremony to recognize specific participants throughout the BERKAWANT event. Participants included not only new students and committee members but also several alumni and faculty members.

Author: Syafina Kamilya