SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 5: Gender Equality | SDGs 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDGs 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals

On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences received a visit from ASIA to JAPAN. During this visit, Masato Sampei, the CEO of ASIA to JAPAN, provided important information regarding opportunities to work in Japan. In his presentation, he explained several key points such as the company profile, partner companies, and general requirements to work in Japan. Additionally, on this occasion, he also introduced several alumni from major universities in Indonesia who have joined ASIA to JAPAN and will be heading to Japan.

The enthusiasm shown was not only from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences but also from the Faculty of Engineering, indicating that the interest in working in Japan is quite widespread. This is because Japan is known as one of the advanced countries with rapidly developing industries and advanced technology, making it interesting to many students who want to develop their careers in these fields.

Visits and socializations like this are expected to provide students with a better understanding of job opportunities abroad, as well as the preparations needed to achieve them, including understanding company profiles, cooperation, and required qualifications. Hopefully, this event will be the first step for many students to pursue their dreams in an international career.

SDGs 4: Quality Education

On Friday, February 23, 2024, the Department of Anthropology at Universitas Gadjah Mada, specifically within the doctoral program in Anthropology, held an open seminar on the results of a PhD dissertation research in Anthropology. This seminar served as the final presentation before presenting the full results of the dissertation. The event took place at Soegondo Building, 7th floor, at 13:00 WIB and was attended by Prof. Dr. Paschalis Maria Laksono, M.A. as the supervising professor, Prof. Dr. Bambang Hudayana, M.A., Dr. Elan Lazuardi, S.Ant, M.A., and the students. The dissertation seminar was reviewed by Dr. Pande Made Kutanegara, M.Si., Dr. Mohamad Yusuf, M.A., Dr. Sita Hidayah, S.Ant, M.A. The dissertation research conducted by Prima Dona Hapsari was carried out in Dukuh Penaban, Karangasem, Bali. The focus of this dissertation was to examine Balinese lontar manuscripts from an anthropological perspective. The research aimed to explore the emergence, development, factors, and actors influencing the existence of Balinese lontar manuscripts.

According to Prima Dona Hapsari’s presentation, reading lontar manuscripts has been a tradition in Bali’s customary villages. However, nowadays, some people are beginning to abandon this practice due to certain lontar manuscripts being prohibited from being read by the general public. Despite this, lontar manuscripts are still recited during Ngaben ceremonies to ensure that everyone can hear the ritual even if not everyone understands it, as these texts are considered ritual experiences rather than memorization material. However, there is now a movement to reread Balinese lontar manuscripts emerging from both the Triwangsa (Brahmana, Kesatria, Waisya) and Jaba (intellectual group outside the caste system in Bali) groups.

Chronologically, in 2013, the emergence of the Bali Language Care Activists forced the inclusion of Balinese language into the 2013 curriculum. This step was taken to ensure that students could at least be introduced to lontar manuscripts. It is also stated that important actors influencing the existence of Balinese lontar manuscripts include the Bendesa of Dukuh Penaban and Penedun customary villages, as well as the readers of Balinese lontar manuscripts.

After the presentation, there were several responses from discussants and supervising professors. One of them was from Prof. Dr. Paschalis Maria Laksono, M.A., who focused on the content of the dissertation. He stated that the dissertation is an excellent example for future anthropology studies. “This writing actually aligns with the questions in the last presidential debate about culture, that the condition of community destruction due to village tourism,” he continued. In that debate, the question was raised about what policy would be taken to make the community responsive. According to Prof. Dr. Paschalis Maria Laksono, M.A., the answer to this question can be found in this dissertation. He emphasized that this situation represents a cultural murder. “For example, in the Ngaben ceremony, which should be described in more detail. Because within it, there is an anti-structure where the presence of lontar, which I feel is specifically placed in Ngaben, gives rise to a responsive community,” Prof. Dr. Paschalis Maria Laksono, M.A. concluded.

Author: Bonifacius Edo Wisnu Waskita

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals

On Thursday, March 28, 2024, the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), together with the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Student Association (HMJ Kamastawa), held a sharing session entitled ‘The Existence of Javanese Culture in Foreign Countries’. The event was held offline at the Soegondo Auditorium, 7th floor, at 15.00 WIB until completion.

This sharing session featured two main speakers, Rudy Wiratama, S.I.P., M.A., and R. Bima Slamet Raharja, S.S., M.A., both lecturers of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program with a field of literary studies. Alma Syahwalani and Muhammad Bagus Ulin Nuha also participated as speakers and moderators. The participants consisted of students of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program batches 2021, 2022, and 2023, as well as other participants who were interested in the existence of Javanese culture in foreign countries.

In the presentation session, R. Bima Slamet Raharja, S.S., M.A., and Rudy Wiratama, S.I.P., M.A., shared their experiences when working on a project organized by the British Museum. The project is a study that departs from a question: is it true that Raffles’ belongings that are now in the British Museum were looted?

“At the British Museum, we found a lot of manuscripts and puppet collections, such as wayang kulit, wayang topeng, wayang krucil, and wayang klithik, to a puppet whose existence has been lost in Java,” explained R. Bima Slamet Raharja, S.S., M.A., in his presentation. “This can be an opportunity for Javanese literature students to study and continue their education abroad,” he added.

In line with R. Bima Slamet Raharja, S.S., M.A., Rudy Wiratama, S.I.P., M.A., reviewed research opportunities for students through the perspective of post-colonialism. “The current cultural perspective adopts a post-colonialism perspective. This means that the British Museum gives access to the owners of culture, namely us, to research and study according to their own cultural knowledge and taste.” In addition, he also highlighted the lack of Javanese manuscript experts in the UK. “In the UK, there are various manuscripts and cultures typical of the archipelago, but the scholars are very few and have not experienced significant regeneration,” he explained.

After the presentation session ended, the announcer opened a discussion session and gave participants the opportunity to ask questions of the two speakers. The participants responded enthusiastically. This was evident from the variety of questions asked of the speakers. The last series of events was the closing, with a group photo session to capture the moment.

The Sharing Session event entitled ‘The Existence of Javanese Culture in Foreign Countries’ is expected to motivate and arouse the enthusiasm of students of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program. “This is to motivate all Javanese Literature friends that departing from pleasure or hobbies, if done seriously, can lead to dreams or ideals, especially about Java, and that opportunities are wide open for all students,” said R. Bima Slamet Raharja, S.S., M.A.

Research and study of the traditions and culture of the archipelago need to be carried out continuously to maintain its sustainability because it is the identity and heritage of the Indonesian nation. Synergy from various parties is needed in disseminating this knowledge to academics and the community so that knowledge and culture are not lost and can continue to be developed in accordance with the times. This is in line with the goals of sustainable development, especially in organizing superior-quality education and establishing partnerships to achieve certain goals.

SDG 4: Quality education | SDGs 4: Access to education | SDGs 4: Education | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability 

Universitas Gadjah Mada has made achievements in the Program Kompetisi Kampus Merdeka (PKKM) organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture Research and Technology, Directorate General of Higher Education Research and Technology. UGM study programs that successfully received PKKM funding for the First Year 2024 were Chemistry, Food Technology and Agricultural Products and Agronomy. In this Second Year, the Cultural Anthropology Study Program was the only study program from Universitas Gadjah Mada that was again successful in qualifying to continue the programs that had been carried out in the First Year PKKM 2023. 

The Directorate of Institutions determines 169 study programs / MBKMISS as candidates for the Program Kompetisi Kampus Merdeka Assistance for the Second Year of Fiscal Year 2024. Study program/ISS-MBKM data can be seen in the attachment to the letter sent by the Directorate of Institutions to the Head of Higher Education on the attached list. Then they also congratulated the study programs /ISS-MBKM from the selected universities to continue the second year of PKKM.

Due to the partial blocking of the 2024 PKKM budget by the Directorate General of Budget at the Finance Ministry of the Republic of Indonesia, the effective implementation of the Second Year PKKM Fiscal Year 2024 is estimated to be for 5 (five) months. Previously, the Cultural Anthropology study program in the first year received DIKTI funds amounting to 1,339,964,000. In the second year, data verification is still being carried out for each study program that passes. We congratulate the Cultural Anthropology study program which is part of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences for its achievement in obtaining PKKM Funding in 2024. Hopefully it can develop sustainable innovations for the people of Indonesia.