SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 5: Gender Equality | SDGs 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Being a college student is certainly one of the most valuable moments in an individual’s life. Their moment is utilized and strived to create significant impacts on the community environment. This act of virtue is realized by Maulita Shinta Maharani, a final year student of the English Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, who has taken part in social contributions during her college years. Uli, her nickname, actively participates in several student and external activities, especially those around community relations and social service. She is experienced in cultural immersion and interaction with international students which adds to her insight and knowledge of inclusivity and diversity of cross-cultural backgrounds.

Uli’s journey to be an active student begins with her motivation when she entered college in her first year. Before that, she had not found a suitable student organization or activity for her, but that changed when she entered one of the most prestigious universities in Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Uli had the opportunity to join many student organizations and activities that supported her development and growth in the environment she was interested in. Her organizational experiences include an internship at the UGM Office of International Affairs, Head of HRD at UGM Buddy Club, Research Assistant at the English Literature UGM, Academic and Development Staff at Women Beyond Indonesia, Founder of Amnesty Amawa Wikreti under Amnesty International Indonesia, Learning and Development Staff at HopeHelps Network, and currently active as Public Relations Staff at Faculty of Cultural Sciences ,UGM. Uli’s organizational activities led her to take one step further by applying for the Erasmus student exchange program and having the opportunity to become an Erasmus Awardee at Budapest Business University, Hungary.

Not only active in organizations and student activities, Uli has participated in student activities in the scope of culture, namely the Cultural Exchange to the National University of Singapore (NUS) held in October 2023 which aimed to explore multiculturalism in Singapore. At the same time, she also became a research assistant for NUS students who were conducting a research on local communities in Yogyakarta. The result of this activity was a book entitled “Harmony in Diversity: A Journey from Jogja to Singapore, and Back” which tells about the multiculturalism aspects in Singapore and Yogyakarta in particular.

In addition, her passion for writing has made her actively contribute to pouring his thoughts into articles published in several platforms. Some of the articles she has written are as follows:

• “Should Gender be Equal?”: Gender Inequality in Family Form
• “Who is more likely to benefit from child marriage? Children or parents?”: Child Marriage in Temanggung, Central Java
• Nyadran and the Interpretation of Ubarampe: An Annual Tradition to Welcome Ramadan in Temanggung, Central Java, Indonesia
• Fairy Tales vs Feminism
• Women Beyond Bias: Learning from A Figure, An Eye-opening Discussion with Prof. Wening Udasmoro on Multiple Subordination in the Workplace

Her focus on gender studies, diversity, and inclusivity, also made her take the initiative to serve socially by establishing an organization called Amnesty Amawa Wikreti, a human rights organization led by women affiliated with Amnesty International Indonesia. In 2023, she also participated in the Student Community Service-Community Empowerment Learning (KKN-PPM UGM), as part of the final activity for UGM students. Through this program, she participated in community service in Ofu Village, Timor Tengah Selatan, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, which made her become more interested in social service in remote areas and contributing to the service of educational development during the continuation of the program she was involved in.

“I really want to experience life, I want to spend my youth doing a lot of positive activities and building as many relationships as possible,” said Uli, reflecting on the positive experiences and activities she has gone through during her almost four years as a student.

Uli emphasizes the role of a supportive environment as the main source of her successful achievements and experiences to grow and develop. “My parents also gave me the freedom to participate in anything and choose my own path in life. Support from lecturers and the closest ones; Nanda Yulfi Chairunnisa and Steven Glenn Ravanelli Waromi also serves as an important point to grow.”

SDG 1: No poverty | SDGs 1: Economic resources | SDGs 1: Income | SDG 4: Quality education | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDGs 8: Creativity and innovation | SDGs 8: Economic productivity | SDG 10: Reduced inequality | SDGs 10: Business 

Starting from a Familiarity Night activity for postgraduate students in literature class 23, even period, on Sunday 3rd of March 2024 in Kalimasada, there was another event that they had without planning. Their agenda that morning was having breakfast. Coincidentally, there was a place to order food near the villa where they were staying. When they got there, who would have thought that this place was the house of Mr. Sardi or who is familiarly called Sardi Beib. So after eating at his house, they were shown works of art that Mr. Sardi had made from used goods. They saw various kinds of works, from statues, masks, night lamps, to the famous crystal wayang.

Pak Sardi also said that all of his work is processed from used items that are no longer used. In other words, he turns rubbish into something beautiful and valuable. This is so because he had marketed his work abroad at fantastic prices. He also often organizes cultural arts activities which are then covered by local, national and foreign media. According to Sabrian, one of the students who had the opportunity to visit at that time, the visit was very inspiring, because in addition to introducing wayang, Mr Sardi also shared his experiences while working in the world of arts and culture. This further motivated him to continue learning about arts and culture, as a literature student.

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

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, two Professors of the Master’s Program in Middle Eastern Cultural Studies, Prof. Dr. Syamsul Hadi, S.U., and Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum., received awards from the Rector of Canal Suez University at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Prof. Syamsul Hadi is a Full Professor (Emeritus) at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, specializing in Arabic language, while Prof. Sangidu is a Full Professor specializing in Arabic literature. The awards were given to both of them for their dedication to the advancement of Arabic language and literature scholarship. The awards were presented directly by Prof. Dr. Hassan Youssef, representing Canal Suez University, during his visit to Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The Professors from Canal Suez University stated that Prof. Syamsul and Prof. Sangidu are outstanding educators who have dedicated themselves to the progress of research and the development of knowledge in the field of Arabic language and literature since a young age. Representing Egypt – and the Arab world as a whole – they are honored by their perseverance in preserving the Arabic language and literature, which are important identities of the Arab nation. Cooperation between Universitas Gadjah Mada and Canal Suez University in the future is expected to be even better and extend to other fields.

SDGs 4: Quality Education

On Monday, March 18, 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM held a socialization of the preparation of the 2024 RKAT for faculty-level student organizations which include, the Lembaga Eksekutif Mahasiswa (LEM FIB), Senat Mahasiswa FIB, Semi-Autonomous Student Organization, and Department Student Associations. The socialization was attended by association coaches, and representatives of faculty-level student organizations, with a presentation led by the Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Nur Saktiningrum, S.S., M.Hum., followed by the Head of the Student Affairs Unit, Dr. Wulan Tri Astuti, S.S., M.A., and a presentation by the FIB UGM finance staff. This socialization aims to assist student organizations in applying for funding from several student activities held at the FIB UGM campus. Therefore, the presentation of mechanisms and procedures for student activity budgets is expected so that students can easily follow the flow of financial administration.

The socialization began with a presentation of the total RKAT funds from BSO / HMJ and LEM FIB UGM along with the flow of signature approval for submitting proposals. Furthermore, the rules for giving honorariums and awards to speakers and competition participants. The socialization then ended with a question and answer session from faculty-level student organizations to financial staff regarding some issues and certain mechanisms. At the end of this socialization activity, it is hoped that each student organization can comply with the procedures and procedures that apply to carry out student activities at FIB UGM.

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure | SDGs 9: Cooperation | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDGs 11: Adaptation | SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

After attending their first lecture for about 3 weeks, it would be incomplete if they did not get to know each other better. Therefore, the Master of Literature new students at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences held a familiarity night to strengthen the bond between the master of literature students. The activity was held at Villa Kalimasada in Kaliurang for two days starting from 2nd to 3rd of March 2024. Their spirits were not dampened despite the heavy rain on the day of their departure. Gathering at the Faculty, they left together for the villa at 4pm and returned home at 10am the next day. 

With this activity, it is hoped that the Master of Literature new students of 2024 even period can familiarize themselves with each other so that all forms of lecture activities in the future can run well. In order to achieve this goal, various event agendas were compiled that were able to strengthen their closeness, starting with personal introductions to get to know more, eating together, and playing games that they prepared themselves to make the atmosphere of the activity more fun and not boring.