The Korean Language and Culture Study Program at FIB UGM, in collaboration with Chung-Ang University (CAU), held the opening ceremony for the “2nd CAUGM” on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The opening ceremony took place in the Poerbatjaraka Building Auditorium. This cultural exchange program will run from July 20 through August 1.

The event was attended by 24 students from Chung-Ang University and 70 students from the Korean Language and Culture Program at FIB, UGM. Over the course of two weeks, participants will take part in various activities, such as cultural exchange classes, language exchange sessions, and collaborative activities designed to strengthen cross-cultural understanding between Indonesian and South Korean students.

At today’s opening ceremony, students from both countries presented lively cultural performances. Students from Chung-Ang University performed K-Pop dances and songs, a taekwondo demonstration, and traditional Korean musical instrument performances. Equally captivating, UGM students also presented traditional Indonesian cultural performances, including the Edan-edanan dance, the Sintren dance, singing, and pencak silat.

In addition, one of the main events in this series of collaborative activities is the Korean Festival, which will be open to the public on July 25. The general public and the campus community are invited to attend and experience Korean culture firsthand.

Through this series of activities, students not only gain academic experience but also have the opportunity to interact directly with participants from other countries. This type of cultural exchange is expected to broaden their global perspective, improve their cross-cultural communication skills, and strengthen ties among students from both institutions.

Author: Juleha (朱殷萱Chu Yin Hsuan)

Yogyakarta, 21 June 2026 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM held a workshop and upgrading programme for the Healthy and Culturally Aware POSBINDU (SEBAYA) as part of the 2026 Sustainability Campus Action initiative. The event took place on Tuesday, 21 June 2026, in the Multimedia Room on the 2nd floor of the Margono Building.

POSBINDU (Integrated Health Promotion Post), known within FIB as SEBAYA (Healthy and Empowered), is a free health screening centre established to facilitate the early detection of non-communicable diseases among the academic community. The event was officially opened by Ms Erika, Head of the Administration Office (KKA) at FIB UGM. The programme continued with a refresher session on POSBINDU for both existing and new volunteers, an introduction to the new POSBINDU system, and hands-on practice of health checks covering four service stations.

During this event, the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) at UGM hosted speakers from UGM’s Health Promoting University (HPU) programme: Dita Margarini, S.Gz., M.P.H., and Muhammad Alif Taufiqurrahman, S.Kom. Both speakers provided explanations, guidance and support to educational staff throughout the entire POSBINDU programme.

Through the organisation of this workshop and professional development programme, FIB UGM aims to enhance the performance of educational staff and raise awareness of healthy lifestyles within the campus community on a sustainable basis. This initiative represents a concrete demonstration of UGM’s commitment to the ‘Sustainability Campus Action 2026’ programme, which supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being.


[Author: Humas FIB, Zaidan Abdurrahman]

“Gamelan Mahasiswa Sastra Nusantara,” better known as Gamasutra, once again enlivened the Gamelan Festival organized by the Faculty of Philosophy on Saturday, July 18, 2026. This festival is an annual event held as part of the Faculty of Philosophy’s anniversary celebrations. This year’s festival featured 52 gamelan groups, both from within and outside Gadjah Mada University. The event took place over two consecutive days, Saturday and Sunday, July 18–19, 2026.

Gamasutra performed six gendhing pieces: “Ladrang Sumyar,” “Lagon Emplek-emplek Ketepu,” “Lagon Kembang Jagung,” “Lancaran Aku Duwe Pitik,” “Ketawang Manggung Sore,” and “Ayak-ayak Pamungkas RRI.” “These gendhing pieces were performed with the intention of reviving a repertoire that hasn’t been performed in a long time, and to reintroduce traditional children’s songs,” said Yanuar, a student in the Department of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences who initiated this repertoire.

Each of these pieces has a different meaning. “Lagon Emplek-emplek Ketepu,” “Lagon Kembang Jagung,” and “Lancaran Aku Duwe Pitik” are children’s songs with cheerful rhythms. “Ladrang Sumyar,” which serves as the main piece in Gamasutra’s performance, is presented with a distinctly different feel. “Unlike Ladrang Sumyar, which is usually performed in the laras pelog pathet barang, we perform it in laras slendro pathet manyura,” said Yanuar. These pieces are also reconstructions of old recordings from RRI Yogyakarta, RRI Kraton Yogyakarta, SMKI Yogyakarta, and Karawitan Condong Raos.

Gamasutra’s participation in the Karawitan Festival is part of the efforts by students at the Faculty of Humanities, UGM, to continue revitalizing, preserving, and reintroducing the richness of Javanese karawitan to the wider public. Through a repertoire ranging from classical gendhing to children’s songs, Gamasutra demonstrates its commitment to maintaining the continuity of the karawitan art tradition amid the changing times.

[Humas FIB, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at Gadjah Mada University officially launched a summer school programme in collaboration with National Chengchi University (NCCU), Taiwan, on Monday (20 July 2026). The opening ceremony, which took place in Room 721 of the Soegondo Building, ran from 09.00 to 10.15 WIB. The opening was made particularly special by the delightful collaboration between the two presenters (MCs), namely Salsa (an Indonesian student) and Bela (an intern from NCCU, Taiwan).

The programme began with an opening address by the Coordinator of INCULS at the Faculty of Humanities, UGM, Dr Rakhmat Soleh, S.S., M.Hum. In his address, he outlined the activities and the academic requirements applicable to students throughout this two-week programme. The course of study will cover the modules Writing and Grammar, Listening and Speaking, and Reading and Vocabulary, each of which will be taught by experienced lecturers.

On the same occasion, Ms Silvia, the student supervisor from NCCU, also delivered a warm welcome. She formally introduced the 10 NCCU students participating in this year’s summer school programme. The introductory session was warm and enjoyable, strengthening the bond between the participants and the organisers.

The opening ceremony concluded with a symbolic presentation of a memento from NCCU to INCULS FIB UGM as a token of appreciation and to mark the start of this cultural and academic collaboration. This closing ceremony also marked the start of the full programme of summer school activities for NCCU students at UGM.

[Author: Humas FIB, Zaidan Abdurrahman]

On Monday, July 20, 2026, the American Studies Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, held a public lecture titled “The United States, the Middle East Conflict, and Implications for Indonesia: Geopolitical Dynamics, U.S. Interests, and Strategic Opportunities for Indonesia.” The public lecture featured Dr. Wajid Fauzi, M.PM., as the speaker. He is currently a Ph.D. student in American Studies and is set to graduate on July 22. He also served as Indonesia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Yemen (2012–2016) and Syria (2019–2025).

The lecture covered the Middle East as a region that has become a focal point for the study of international politics, the role of the United States in the region, and the strategic implications for Indonesia’s interests. The guest lecture was opened by Dr. Achmad Munjid, M.A., Ph.D., a lecturer in the American Studies Program. He emphasized that it is crucial for the public to recognize the significant impact that the current conflict between the United States and the Middle East has on Indonesia. This is also the reason why this public lecture was organized.

The presentation was then followed by a talk by Dr. Wajid Fauzi, M.PM. He encouraged participants to take a holistic view of the Middle East—not only through the lens of its wars and conflicts, but also by examining the layers beneath the surface. These include energy routes, trade routes, rivalries among regional powers, and competition among major nations with interests in the region.

Dr. Wajid Fauzi explained that the Middle East is not merely a region of conflict, but a geopolitical arena where global interests converge, power struggles unfold, and the quest for international legitimacy takes place. “Geopolitics teaches us that geography is not merely about the location of a country or the boundaries of a region, but rather a factor that shapes the distribution of power, economic interests, military strategies, and can even influence another country’s foreign policy toward that region,” he emphasized. He concluded that, in other words, geography is not a neutral factor but a source of advantage.

Conflicts in the Middle East also have implications for Indonesia, such as in foreign policy, the protection of Indonesian citizens, energy security, trade, food security, and national security. Indonesia is expected to continue pursuing an independent and active foreign policy and to serve as a “bridge builder” or diplomatic mediator in maintaining international peace.

[Humas FIB, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]