Yogyakarta, October 25, 2025 – The annual English Days 2025 event made its return, organized by students of the English Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM). This year’s series of activities features a stage play titled “Deserved It,” an English-language drama filled with tension and secrets within the dynamics of friendship.

The play “Deserved It” tells the story of Mickey, a mysterious new student whose arrival brings major changes to the circle of friends—Chloe, Valerie, Anders, Dash, Jennifer, and Jason. One by one, their hidden secrets begin to unravel, drawing the audience into a gripping, emotional, and unpredictable atmosphere. With sharp dialogues, a suspenseful storyline, and energetic performances, “Deserved It” promises an immersive and memorable theatrical experience.

Beyond the theater performance, English Days 2025 also offers a variety of other exciting activities. From October 25–31, visitors can enjoy a 2000s nostalgia exhibition displayed along the first-floor corridor of the Soegondo Building, FIB UGM. On October 30, 2025, a Movie Screening Workshop will be held, inviting participants to watch and discuss “The Lovely Bones,” a cinematic masterpiece rich with themes of loss, hope, and justice. The workshop is open to students and the general public who wish to deepen their appreciation of film while honing their critical analysis skills in English.

As the grand finale, on October 31, 2025, English Days will host its annual Halloween Party, a much-anticipated event where students can express themselves, socialize, and celebrate creativity in the spirit of Halloween costumes and decorations.

Carrying this year’s central theme, English Days 2025 aims to provide a platform for students to express ideas, strengthen togetherness, and showcase their English proficiency through art and popular culture. The organizing committee hopes that this annual event will continue to serve as a collaborative space where students can practice English in real contexts while exploring their interests in performing arts and global culture.

All English Days 2025 activities are open to the public and will take place within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. For more information, visit the official Instagram account @englishdays_ugm and TikTok @englishdays.ugm.

[English Literature, IMAJI]

Yogyakarta, October 28, 2025 – The Arabic Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), once again celebrates a proud achievement through one of its students, Sultan Amirul Muttaqin, who successfully earned three prestigious awards in both national and regional rounds of the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur’an (MSQ) competition. Sultan’s outstanding ability to interpret and eloquently convey the messages of the Qur’an earned him recognition for his clarity, expressiveness, and emotional depth.

Sultan’s first major accomplishment came at the National MSQ Competition organized by the Qur’anic Studies Program of UIN Walisongo Semarang, where he and his team achieved 2nd Place Nationally. The UGM team delivered a powerful collaboration between the qāriʾ (reciter), the translator, and the syāriḥ (commentator), impressing the judges with their harmonious performance, strong arguments, and deep spiritual expression.

His second achievement followed at the Festival Santri Multitalent 2025, hosted by the Khaulabenazir National Community of Female Students, where Sultan once again secured 2nd Place Nationally in the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur’an category. Serving as the translator, he showcased exceptional linguistic precision and rhetorical beauty in rendering the meaning of the Qur’anic verses.

Not stopping there, Sultan also triumphed at the regional level, earning 2nd Place in the Yogyakarta and Central Java MSQ Competition, organized by the Al-Qur’an Education Institute (LPQ) Masjid As-Syuhada Yogyakarta. The event brought together participants from educational institutions, universities, and Islamic boarding schools committed to promoting Qur’anic-based da’wah.

In his reflections, Sultan emphasized that the role of the translator in the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur’an is not merely about linguistic conversion, but about reviving the soul and message of the verses so that audiences can truly feel their meaning. “Alhamdulillah, every competition is a valuable experience to deliver da’wah in a scholarly and beautiful way. This proves that students can be meaningful bridges of da’wah through intellect and language,” he shared.

These achievements not only bring honor to the UGM Arabic Study Program but also embody the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). The Study Program hopes Sultan’s accomplishments will inspire other students to continue striving for excellence, spreading the values of Islam through language, and contributing to Islamic scholarship both nationally and internationally.

Author: Sultan Amirul Muttaqin

Yogyakarta, October 22, 2025 — The Head of the History Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), Dr. Mutiah Amini, M.Hum, officially opened the History Week 2025, which carries the theme “Industry in the Flow of History.” The opening ceremony took place at the Auditorium of Soegondo Building, 7th Floor, on Wednesday (22/10), attended by students from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences as well as representatives from various student organizations within and beyond FIB UGM.

History Week is an annual event organized by the Undergraduate History Study Program of FIB UGM as part of its efforts to enhance historical learning through both academic and non-academic approaches. The program serves as a platform for students to broaden their insights, channel their creativity, and foster awareness of historical and social issues relevant to today’s society.

The implementation of History Week 2025 is the result of collaboration and initiative by the Badan Keluarga Mahasiswa Sejarah (BKMS), the student association that oversees various activities of History students within FIB UGM. As one of BKMS’s largest programs, this event is not only intended for students of the History Study Program but is also open to the public, including academics from various universities across Indonesia. Through this event, students are encouraged to actively participate in developing historical studies oriented toward contemporary issues.

One of the main series of activities in History Week 2025 is the National Student History Seminar (SSMN), which adopts the overarching theme “Industry in the Flow of Indonesian History.” The seminar is designed to provide opportunities for students from diverse disciplines who have an interest in history to develop their academic writing and discussion skills. Several selected students will present their papers directly before the seminar participants in two panel sessions. Prior to these presentations, the event will begin with an introductory lecture delivered by a keynote speaker who is an expert in industrial history.

The discussions in this seminar cover a wide range of important topics related to the development of industry in Indonesia, including the historical evolution of industry, the dynamics of local industries, the impacts of industrialization on the environment and society, the history of social movements within industry, as well as the roles of local economic figures and women in the industrialization process. Through a historical perspective, this event seeks to foster a deeper understanding of how industry has become an integral part of Indonesia’s social, economic, and cultural development.

Overall, History Week 2025 aims to encourage students to understand industrial issues from a historical perspective while raising awareness of the importance of studying national industrial history as a key to comprehending today’s industrial dynamics. Moreover, the event aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) through the strengthening of historical literacy and academic research, Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by exploring the historical development of the industrial sector, and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) which emphasizes the importance of history as the foundation for future innovation and development. Thus, History Week 2025 stands not only as an academic platform but also as a tangible contribution from UGM History students to the global agenda of sustainable development.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, October 20, 2025 — The Department of Language and Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held an event titled Expert Lecture: The Transformation of the Indonesian Language in Digital Media on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in Room S709, Soegondo Building, 7th Floor. The event brought together three distinguished linguists from various Indonesian universities: Prof. Dr. Munira Hasjim, M.Hum. (Professor at Hasanuddin University), Dr. Bernadette Kushartanti, M.Hum. (Lecturer at Universitas Indonesia), and Dr. Sailal Arimi, M.Hum. (Lecturer at Universitas Gadjah Mada), moderated by Deni Ferdiansa, S.S., M.A. The discussion served as an important platform to explore the dynamics and challenges of the Indonesian language amid the rapid pace of digitalization.

In her presentation, Prof. Munira Hasjim emphasized the importance of maintaining consistency in the use of the Indonesian language to prevent degradation in the digital era. She highlighted four major linguistic phenomena that characterize language transformation in online spaces: the widespread use of acronyms and abbreviations such as bucin, mager, and gercep; creative manipulation of graphemes and orthography, such as using all lowercase letters or excessive capitalization; frequent code-switching with English in everyday expressions; and the rising use of harsh or offensive language in social media interactions. According to her, these shifts are driven by three main pillars — digital identity, community solidarity, and communication technology — which have turned language into not only a communication tool but also a medium for self-expression and a marker of social belonging in virtual spaces.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bernadette Kushartanti discussed the role of digital media as an inseparable part of modern life, especially for Generations Z and Alpha. She explained that their linguistic behavior reflects their social identity in the online world, with code-switching and the use of slang serving as expressions of cultural belonging, social status, and individuality in a multicultural environment. Bernadette also cautioned that excessive exposure to digital media can affect behavior, leading to issues such as anxiety, impatience, and reduced self-reflection. Therefore, she stressed the importance of digital literacy and linguistic awareness to ensure that creativity in online language use remains aligned with good language values and norms.

In his presentation, Dr. Sailal Arimi examined how language phenomena on social media reflect the collective identity of today’s youth. Terms such as “Negara Konoha” and “Warga +62” have emerged as satirical symbols representing both social critique and a sense of belonging among the digital generation. He noted that virtual communication serves two main purposes — efficiency and self-expression. Digital language enables users to exchange information quickly through abbreviations like FYP while also asserting social identity and perspective through expressions such as ACAB or SJW. This illustrates that in the digital era, language is not only changing in form but also in its social function as a tool for community building in virtual spaces.

These phenomena enrich the Indonesian lexicon, expand linguistic variation, and demonstrate the vitality of the language. However, they also present challenges, including declining awareness of formal linguistic norms and potential miscommunication across contexts. The event concluded in an engaging atmosphere, with many students enthusiastically asking questions and engaging in direct dialogue with the speakers, making the forum not only informative but also interactive and full of academic energy.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, October 21, 2025 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada, held its graduation ceremony for 184 postgraduate students, consisting of 173 master’s and 11 doctoral graduates in the first period of the 2025/2026 academic year. The ceremony took place at the Poerbatjaraka Auditorium, marking a moment of celebration and recognition for the graduates’ dedication and perseverance throughout their academic journey.

A total of 102 graduates earned the Cum Laude distinction, reflecting not only their academic excellence but also their resilience and commitment to the humanities.

The Master’s Program in Linguistics produced the largest number of graduates with 66 students, followed by the Master’s in Literature with 46 graduates, and both the Master’s in Middle Eastern Cultural Studies and the Master’s in Anthropology, each with 16 graduates. At the doctoral level, the Doctoral Program in Humanities recorded the highest number with nine graduates. Other programs contributing to this period’s graduation include Master’s in History (10), Master’s in American Studies (10), Master’s in Archaeology (9), Doctoral Program in American Studies (1), and Doctoral Program in Anthropology (1).

The highest GPA and shortest study period among master’s graduates was achieved by Kyra Andhayu Noer from the Master’s Program in Archaeology, who completed her studies with a GPA of 3.96 in 1 year, 1 month, and 10 days. At the doctoral level, Ria Yuliati from the Doctoral Program in Humanities achieved a GPA of 3.81 with a study duration of 3 years, 11 months, and 8 days.

On average, the GPA of master’s graduates reached 3.78, while the doctoral graduates’ average GPA was 3.80. The Master’s in Middle Eastern Cultural Studies achieved the highest average GPA of 3.84, reflecting strong academic performance and dedication to interdisciplinary cultural studies.

In a deeply moving moment, the Faculty also paid tribute to one of its postgraduate students, Nanang Syaifudin, S.Hum., M.A., from the Master’s Program in Linguistics, who passed away before the graduation ceremony. Known for his diligence, humility, and passion for learning, his diploma was received symbolically by his parents during the ceremony. Their presence was met with heartfelt respect and emotion from the entire audience. The Faculty expressed its highest appreciation for Nanang’s commitment and prayed that his good deeds and knowledge continue to benefit many, while his family finds strength and solace.

This graduation was not only a celebration of academic achievement but also a moment of reflection on the deeper meaning of education — one that nurtures empathy, integrity, and humanity. Through this occasion, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences reaffirms its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

Graduates of FIB UGM are expected to become agents of positive change, carrying forward the values of culture, ethics, and humanity into their communities. With their knowledge and character, they are ready to take part in shaping a more inclusive, civilized, and sustainable world.