The Archaeology Student Association of the Department of Archaeology at Universitas Gadjah Mada, through its Research and Scientific Development Division, once again organized its annual program Eksplorasi 2026 under the theme “Exploring the Heritage of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom from Yogyakarta to Surakarta.” The program involved 15 Archaeology students from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts under the supervision of Aditya Revianur. The first stage of the exploration was conducted on May 22, 2026, at the former Kedaton Pleret and Kerta sites in Pleret, Bantul, Special Region of Yogyakarta, while the following stage took place on May 23, 2026, at the former Kartasura Palace area in Sukoharjo, Central Java. Another stage of the program is also planned to be conducted at the end of July 2026 as part of the continuing exploration of the Islamic Mataram heritage.

Eksplorasi is one of the flagship programs of the Research and Scientific Development Division, designed as a field-learning platform for archaeology students. Through this activity, participants were not only invited to visit historical sites, but were also directly involved in archaeological survey practices, site observation, basic mapping and documentation, as well as contextual interpretation of the surrounding cultural landscape. These field activities provided students with valuable experience in understanding how archaeological research is conducted in practice, from identifying archaeological remains to interpreting the broader historical and cultural context of the sites.

By focusing on the remains of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom, the program also aims to strengthen students’ awareness of cultural heritage preservation. The areas of Pleret, Kerta, and Kartasura were selected due to their major historical significance in the political and cultural development of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom in Java. Through this exploration, students were encouraged to view the sites not merely as physical remnants of the past, but also as cultural spaces that preserve traces of social, political, and historical dynamics from earlier periods. The outcomes of the program will later be developed into scientific articles and documentary videos, contributing to students’ academic portfolios while also serving as educational media to promote awareness of cultural heritage conservation in Indonesia.

Author: Muhammad Irsyad

A student of the Arabic Literature Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), class of 2023, Pandhita Hapsari, achieved an outstanding accomplishment by securing a place in the Top 10 of the 2026 Prime Minister’s International Malay Speech Competition (PABM), held in Malaysia. The international Malay speech contest brought together participants from various countries, including Burundi, Italy, Russia, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and several others. The contestants came from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Pandhita’s achievement attracted attention because she comes from a Javanese background rather than a Malay cultural environment. Meanwhile, many other participants were native Malay speakers or originated from regions with strong Malay cultural roots. Despite this, Pandhita successfully competed against international participants and advanced to the Top 10. In the competition, Pandhita delivered a speech on the challenges faced by the Malay language in the modern era. She highlighted the impacts of globalization, the rapid development of digital technology, and the changing communication patterns among younger generations on the sustainability of the Malay language today.

The competition series lasted for one week, from 2 to 9 May 2026. The preliminary round was conducted online approximately one week before the participants’ departure announcement. After arriving in Malaysia on 2 May, participants competed in the quarterfinal round on 4 May, the semifinal round on 6 May, and the final round on 8 May 2026. Although she did not win the championship title, Pandhita expressed gratitude for the valuable experience and opportunities she gained throughout the competition.

“For me, this was not merely a competition, but also an opportunity to learn about culture, language, and to meet people from various countries,” she said. During her stay in Malaysia, Pandhita also experienced the warm hospitality extended by the organizing committee and the local community toward international participants.“We were welcomed very warmly during our time there. This experience has made me appreciate our shared language and culture even more,” she added. Pandhita returned to Indonesia on Saturday, 9 May 2026, after the entire series of activities had concluded. Her achievement of reaching the Top 10 in an international competition is expected to inspire Indonesian students to continue striving for excellence and confidently compete on the global stage.

Author : Pandhita Hapsari

In an effort to improve students’ writing skills, particularly in the field of Javanese literature, the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program Universitas Gadjah Mada organized a teaching practitioner activity themed Javanese Literary Creation. The activity was held in Margono Room 404, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada as part of the Productive Written Javanese course on April 14 and 21, 2026.

The activity featured Sri Suryani as the teaching practitioner, guiding students to become more familiar with the world of Javanese literary writing. This class formed part of the Productive Written Javanese course for the 2026 academic year, taught by Dr. Sulistyowati, M.Hum.

During the first meeting on April 14, 2026, students received material on modern Javanese literary works and creative writing techniques, particularly short stories (cerkak). In addition to the presentation session, students and the teaching practitioner discussed the planned outputs of the activity, namely an anthology of cerkak and geguritan. Students were also given the opportunity to submit their written works, which would later be discussed in the following session.

Meanwhile, during the second meeting on April 21, 2026, students studied geguritan with a focus on stylistic elements. The activity then continued with a discussion of the works submitted in the previous meeting. Students presented drafts of their writing and discussed them with the teaching practitioner and fellow participants. The discussion session was lively and interactive, as students not only learned how to write, but also gained an understanding of the processes of developing, editing, and preparing literary works for publication.

The teaching practitioner activity was carried out smoothly and successfully, supported by the strong enthusiasm of students from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program in learning about Javanese literary writing. Through this activity, students not only gained an understanding of the creative process of literary writing, but also acquired practical experience in developing their works more thoroughly. The outputs of the activity, in the form of Javanese literary works such as cerkak and geguritan, are expected to serve as learning media as well as a means for younger generations to foster love and pride for Indonesian culture, particularly Javanese culture. In addition, this activity aligns with the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 4 on quality education through the strengthening of students’ literacy and creativity competencies, and SDG 17 on partnerships for the goals through collaboration between academics and practitioners in developing experience-based learning.

Author : Haryo Untoro
Editor : Haryo Untoro

Yogyakarta, April, 24 2026 – The Balai Bahasa Provinsi Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta and the Faculty of Cultural Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada signed a cooperation agreement concerning the synergy of language and literature development, cultivation, and preservation through the strategic role of higher education institutions. This activity formed part of an effort to strengthen collaboration between language institutions and academic institutions in maintaining the sustainability of language and literature amid the dynamics of globalization.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Drs. Umar Solikhan, M.Hum., as the Head of the Yogyakarta Language Office and Dr. Mimi Savitri, M.A. as the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni Affairs of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. Through this partnership, both parties committed to developing various collaborative programs in the fields of education, language development, and academic advancement, including student internships, language competency enhancement, regional language preservation, academic activities, and the development of the Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) program.

The event was also attended by representatives of the Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa as well as heads of language offices from several provinces, including Banten, West Java, Central Java, and East Java. The presence of these stakeholders reflected the importance of cross-regional synergy in strengthening both language policies and the implementation of national language programs.

In his remarks, Drs. Umar Solikhan, M.Hum., emphasized that the Language Office’s attention is directed not only toward the status of the Indonesian language, but also toward the sustainability of regional languages. According to him, the preservation of regional languages is one of the major tasks that urgently needs to be strengthened.

“Indonesia possesses extraordinary linguistic diversity. However, the current condition is certainly far from ideal. Our younger generation seems to be increasingly unfamiliar with regional languages and finds it difficult to use them.”

He further explained that the Language Office would strengthen regional language preservation efforts through several measures, such as improving teachers’ competencies and the quality of regional language instruction, adjusting educational curricula, and empowering local communities. In this context, the cooperation between the Yogyakarta Language Office and the Faculty of Cultural Sciences serves as one concrete step in supporting these efforts.

Through this collaboration, it is hoped that an ecosystem supporting the strengthening of Indonesian and regional linguistic and literary identities can be established, while also encouraging innovation in linguistic studies and practices relevant to contemporary societal needs. One concrete initiative that has already been implemented is the development of a Javanese language corpus organized by the Yogyakarta Language Office with the involvement of students from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, FIB UGM.

Author : Haryo Untoro
Editor : Haryo Untoro

Yogyakarta, May 21, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) is hosting the Gadjah Mada Wayang Festival 2026 from May 21 to 23, 2026. The festival features a traditional leather puppet painting (sungging) competition and a cardboard puppet coloring contest, representing a concrete step by the educational institution to preserve Indonesian heritage.

This event is part of the EQUITY program funded by the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP RI) and serves as a celebration of the 80th anniversary of FIB UGM. This year, the Gadjah Mada Wayang Festival adopts the grand theme “Kita. Butuh. Wayang.” (We. Need. Wayang.). The theme conveys a vital message about fostering a balanced synergy between the university’s academic discourse and the livelihoods of wayang craftsmen in Butuh Hamlet, Sidowarno Village, Klaten Regency.

The competitions began simultaneously on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 09:30 AM WIB. The leather puppet painting competition targets high school students, university students, and the general public from various regions, with a maximum age limit of 25. The organizing committee provided a Surakarta-style Gathutkaca puppet character as the primary medium. Participants are given five and a half hours to complete their work individually. They are free to choose their painting style based on personal preference, such as the Surakarta or Yogyakarta style.

Alongside this event, the committee is holding an in-person cardboard puppet (Wayang Karton) coloring competition at Pusaka Jawa UGM. This competition is specifically designed for elementary and junior high school students. Participants are given three hours to complete their work. All entries from both competitions will be returned and remain the full property of the participants after the winners are announced.

The evaluation for both competitions takes place in a single judging phase. The primary criteria used by the panel of judges include coloring technique, color composition, neatness and cleanliness, as well as the level of creativity shown by the participants.

These efforts to preserve wayang artistry serve as an important bridge to keep local cultural heritage deeply rooted in the identity of the younger generation. The close collaboration between the higher education institution and village artisans demonstrates that protecting tradition goes hand in hand with community empowerment and strengthening the local economy for the future.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]