Universitas Gadjah Mada held the graduation ceremony for Bachelor’s and Applied Bachelor’s degree programs for the third period of the 2025/2026 academic year on Thursday (May 21, 2026). During this period, the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences saw 11 students graduate; two of them, Endar Sasmito Aji and Haryo Untoro, were recipients of the Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation (YAD) scholarship. Both successfully completed their studies with cum laude honors in less than four years.

Endar Sasmito Aji is a graduate of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program who was frequently active in various Javanese arts and cultural activities. Hailing from Kulon Progo, he participated in several campus-based arts communities, such as the Gamelan Mahasiswa Sastra Nusantara (Gamasutra) at the study program level and the Unit Kesenian Jawa Gaya Surakarta (UKJGS) at the university level. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Aji gained professional experience through an internship at the Cultural Office (Kundha Kabudayan) of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Regarding organizational involvement, he served in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Student Association (HMJ Kamastawa) during the Candrabirawa Cabinet (2023/2024) and the Ancalaloka Cabinet (2024/2025) terms. He was also involved as an organizer and performer for the 12th Gugur Gunung, as an organizer and gamelan musician for the 13th Gugur Gunung, and as an organizer for the 30th Temu Budaya Nusantara (TBN), an event held by the Association of Regional Language and Literature Students of Indonesia (Imbasadi) at the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Endar’s thesis focused on Javanese performing arts. His research examined the humor within the Dhagelan Mataram (Javanese comedy) performance titled Umuk Keblasuk, featuring renowned Yogyakarta comedians Gareng Rakasiwi, Jonet, and Ari Purnomo. He successfully completed his studies in three years and seven months, graduating cum laude.

Meanwhile, Haryo Untoro was a student in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture program, actively engaged in Javanese studies, particularly regarding the Javanese language. Despite hailing from Bekasi, he completed his degree in three years, eight months, and seven days, also graduating cum laude. During his time as a student, he was active in various organizations; he served as a member of the HMJ Kamastawa under the Candrabirawa Cabinet (2023/2024) and Ancalaloka Cabinet (2024/2025), and held membership and leadership roles in the Cultural Sciences Muslim Family (KMIB) under the Badr Cabinet (2023/2024) and Tajdeed Cabinet (2024/2025). Additionally, he was an active member and administrator of the Indonesian Regional Language and Literature Student Association (Imbasadi) during the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 terms. Beyond organizational involvement, he gained experience working part-time in administration for the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. His active engagement was accompanied by various academic achievements, including winning First Place in the 2023 Humanika Essay Competition and First Place in the National Scientific Writing Competition (LKTIN) at Imbasadi’s Temu Budaya Nusantara XXX (Archipelago Cultural Gathering). Furthermore, he was a student in the Faculty of Cultural Sciences’ “Fast Track” program and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Linguistics at the same faculty, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Their theses also focused on linguistic studies, specifically analyzing the translation structure of the anthology Jenggala: Kumpulan Puisi Dwibahasa (Jenggala: A Bilingual Poetry Collection). originally written in Indonesian by Monika N. Arundhati and translated into Old Javanese by Y. Novi Marginingrum.

The graduation of these two students is expected to inspire other students to pursue their studies diligently and play an active role in preserving Javanese culture. Furthermore, collaboration among various stakeholders must be strengthened to preserve and embed Javanese culture within society. A prime example is the role of the Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation through its student scholarship program. The foundation’s commitment to supporting both education and cultural preservation represents a tangible contribution toward intellectually enriching the nation and strengthening national identity through culture.

Author: Prodi Sastra Jawa FIB UGM

“Sometimes, to see ourselves, we need a mirror. And in some ways, Mas Ariel’s book serves that purpose,” said Ramayda Akmal during a discussion titled “Ramayda Akmal Membaca Ariel Heryanto” on Monday, June 29, at the Soegondo Building Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Science, UGM. This discussion was a collaboration between KPG Publishing and the Master’s Program in Literature, featuring Ramayda Akmal—a lecturer in Indonesian Language and Literature and an author—as the speaker, Ariel Heryanto as the guest speaker, and Giandra as the moderator.

Through her analysis of the books Huruf Demi Huruf and Nasib Publik dalam Republik, Ramayda highlighted a common thread in Ariel Heryanto’s thought: the effort to position Indonesia as the starting point for understanding itself. According to her, Ariel’s writings not only offer a critique of established perspectives but also question why the production of knowledge about Indonesia remains so dependent on Western perspectives and theories.

One of the ideas highlighted by Ramayda is “Asia as Method,” an approach that encourages scholars to engage in dialogue with the experiences, ideas, and theories of Asian countries whose contexts are similar to Indonesia’s. She explained that Ariel demonstrates how Indonesia’s relations with countries such as China, Taiwan, Japan, and India can serve as a foundation for understanding various social and cultural issues, rather than always relying on the West as the sole point of reference.

“We rarely cite the writings of our own peers. Theoretical and academic interactions among scholars within the same academic community remain unbalanced,” Ramayda stated while explaining one of the critiques raised by Ariel Heryanto in his works. According to her, this imbalance means that perspectives on Indonesia are often shaped by standards that do not necessarily stem from the experiences of Indonesian or Asian societies.

This issue extends beyond the selection of theories and is also evident in the system of knowledge production. Ramayda explained that measures of literacy, publication standards, and even methods for evaluating the quality of academic work still largely rely on global benchmarks that do not always align with local conditions. Through his book Huruf Demi Huruf, Ariel reflects on his personal experiences to demonstrate that the process of learning and constructing knowledge is always influenced by diverse social, cultural, and historical contexts.

In response to the reading, Ariel Heryanto commended Ramayda’s approach to connecting her ideas with the current academic landscape. For him, a work of literature continues to live on through new interpretations by its readers. Therefore, discussions serve as a vital space for broadening interpretations while simultaneously reexamining various assumptions that have long been accepted in the academic world.

The discussion then continued with a Q&A session that addressed a variety of issues, ranging from exile literature and democracy to the dynamics of knowledge production in Indonesia. Through this event, the Master’s Program in Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Science, UGM, in collaboration with KPG Publishing, created a space for dialogue that encourages critical reflection on how Indonesia produces knowledge while opening up possibilities for building a scholarly tradition more deeply rooted in the experiences and context of the Asian region.

[Humas FIB, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]

YOGYAKARTA – To commemorate its 80th anniversary, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at UGM held a volleyball tournament specifically for educational staff on Friday (July 3, 2026). The event, which took place on the field in front of the Margono Building at FIB, was intended as an expression of gratitude and an opportunity to strengthen solidarity among educational staff.

The event, attended by approximately 50 participants, was officially opened at 7:00 a.m. WIB by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at UGM, Mr. Setiadi, S.S., M.Hum., who served the first ball.

The matches were fiercely contested starting from the semifinals. In the men’s category, the competition was divided into four teams based on color: white, blue, red, and yellow. After a long and dramatic rally, the red team emerged as the champion after defeating the blue team in the final, followed by the yellow team in third place. Meanwhile, in the women’s category, the yellow team dominated and successfully claimed first place after securing a decisive victory over the green team.

The high level of enthusiasm came not only from the players but also from the supporters, who were cheering loudly from the sidelines. Yazid, a part-time staff member in the FIB Public Relations Office, also shared in this excitement.

“Today’s competition was so exciting. I hope events like this will continue in the future as a form of solidarity among the faculty and staff of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences,” he said on the sidelines of the event.

The Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), is pleased to announce the Call for Papers (CFP) for its 2026 International Dissemination event, themed “Literature in the Crosscurrents of Globalization.” The event will be held online via Zoom Meeting on 4 November 2026, bringing together academics, researchers, lecturers, students, teachers, and literature enthusiasts from Indonesia and around the world to discuss the dynamic relationships between literature, culture, and society in today’s global context.

In addition to serving as an international academic forum, the event offers valuable publication opportunities, including publication in an ISBN-registered edited volume. Selected papers will also be recommended for publication in Poetika: Jurnal Ilmu Sastra (SINTA 2 accredited). Participation is free of charge, with no registration fee required.

The theme, “Literature in the Crosscurrents of Globalization,” reflects the increasingly intensive encounters among diverse cultures, values, and perspectives in the era of globalization. Advances in digital technology, human mobility, and transnational information exchange have transformed contemporary social and cultural life. Within this context, literature functions not only as a representation of reality but also as a space where identities, ideologies, traditions, and human experiences are negotiated, contested, and reimagined.

According to Rini Febriani, Chair of the Organizing Committee, the forum is expected to become a platform for exchanging ideas and research findings on cultural transformations occurring in today’s global society.

“Through this event, we aim to create a space for dialogue that brings together scholars and researchers from diverse backgrounds to discuss how literature represents, critiques, and transforms cultural changes in the era of globalization. We hope this dissemination forum will expand academic networks and foster productive research collaborations,” she stated.

The CFP welcomes submissions under several subthemes, including:

• Cultural Industry and the Standardization of Literature
• Literature as a Site of Power Negotiation
• Myth-Making in Popular Literature
• Contestation and Demystification of Narratives in Global Space
• Reconfiguring Localities in Globality

These subthemes provide opportunities for scholars to explore literary studies and cultural phenomena relevant to the development of contemporary global society.

Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum., Head of the Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, also expressed his support for the event. He emphasized that globalization not only facilitates interactions among cultures but also shapes the politics of literary production on a global scale.

“The themes emerging in contemporary literary works do not arise by chance. Behind their emergence lie global dynamics and power relations that influence the direction of literary production worldwide. Issues such as the environment, gender, and other contemporary concerns are often part of global currents that shape literary trends and orientations. Therefore, literature should be understood not only as an aesthetic work but also as an integral part of political economy and global cultural dynamics,” he explained.

Paper submission and registration will be open from 29 June to 4 September 2026. The peer-review process will take place from 5–26 September 2026, with acceptance notifications announced on 28 September 2026. Revised manuscripts must be submitted by 5 October 2026, while presentation materials are due on 26 October 2026. The International Dissemination Forum will be held on 4 November 2026.

Participants are invited to submit full papers in English through the official registration link provided by the organizing committee. Submitted manuscripts should be between 5,000 and 7,000 words and will undergo a selection and peer-review process before being accepted for presentation at the conference.

Through this International Dissemination event, the Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, aims to strengthen national and international academic networks, encourage cross-institutional collaboration, and provide a productive platform for scholarly discussions on literature and culture amid the complexities of globalization.

Further Information

Registration: https://bit.ly/Desiminasi2026UGM

General Information: https://bit.ly/GeneralInfoDissemination2026

WhatsApp Contacts:

• Ella: +62 823-2494-4082
• Mita: +62 813-9056-4071

Email: diseminasiugm@gmail.com

Author: Rini Febriani Hauri

Yogyakarta, June 5, 2026 – The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, once again held its Korean Language Comprehensive II (Korean Business) course in collaboration with Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS). The class was taught by Kim Sueun, a lecturer from HUFS, and took place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (WIB) in Room S204 as part of the ongoing academic partnership between the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at UGM and HUFS.

The course has primarily been conducted online. However, in June 2026, a special in-person session was organized by inviting Kim Sueun to teach directly at UGM, providing students with a more engaging and interactive learning experience.

During the session, students delivered presentations in Korean on their product innovation ideas. This activity allowed them to apply the Korean language skills they had acquired in the context of business and professional communication.

Through these presentations, students not only demonstrated their creativity in presenting innovative product concepts but also enhanced their public speaking skills, critical thinking abilities, and confidence in using Korean. 

This activity is expected to further strengthen students’ Korean language proficiency while enriching their international learning experience through the continued collaboration between the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

Author: Aura Adiba Wijaya Litianko