On Saturday, October 17, 2026, the Department of Cultural Anthropology
organized a fieldwork trip to Wonokerto, Pekalongan, as part of an effort to apply in
practice the theories discussed in class. Participants in this fieldwork included
undergraduate students in Cultural Anthropology taking the course “Maritime
Anthropology,” taught by Dr. Des Christy, and graduate students in Cultural
Anthropology taking the course “Rhetoric of Development,” taught by Prof. Pujo Semedi
Hargo Yuwono, along with a guest lecturer from UIN Pekalongan, Mochammad Najmul
Afad. The fieldwork activity was organized by selecting destinations for the participants
to visit that aligned with the learning objectives set in class.

That morning, while having breakfast, participants were not only provided with
logistical support but also attended a general lecture as part of their exposure to local
knowledge, featuring a local village official who explained the context of Wonokerto
Kulon. Mr. Jodi, a village official, explained several fundamental aspects of the area,
such as its social, cultural, economic, and ecological contexts from the perspective of
coastal life. One of the points Mr. Jodi emphasized most was the tidal flooding that
continues to affect Wonokerto, which in turn impacts the social and economic contexts
of the surrounding community.

The class continued with a visit to the Wonokerto Fish Auction Site. There, the
students directly observed the process by which fishermen auctioned their catch. Dr.
Des Christy, a professor of Maritime Anthropology, gave the students the freedom to
gather data during the assignment, with the goal of producing a descriptive account of
community life. The students employed various approaches, such as participant
observation, interviews, and ethno-photography. For two hours, the students and faculty closely observed the fish auction activities before finally taking their leave to head to the next destination.

The next destination in the series of fieldwork activities was a visit to the
shipyard—an area where ships are “parked” while they are out of service or serving as
a waiting area for vessels preparing to set sail. At the shipyard, students from both the
Maritime Anthropology and Development Rhetoric courses had the primary objective of
exploring the personal lives of the fishermen. The students were allowed to explore the
boats lined up in the parking area, which included various types ranging from
small-scale fishing vessels to large-scale ones. In between exploring the vessels and
interacting with the fishermen, students and faculty were treated to smoked stingray and vegetables, specially prepared by local residents.

The final leg of the fieldwork took place during a brief stop at the Setono Batik Market
area. The students were invited to explore the market area while viewing Pekalongan’s
signature batik fabrics, which embody a strong sense of local identity. Not only were
they invited to explore, but some students also purchased goods from batik artisans as
a form of support for Pekalongan’s batik UMKM community. Purchasing batik also
serves as a means of passing on cultural heritage to younger generations. With a
deeper understanding of batik, this traditional Pekalongan fabric holds its own
significance within the broader cultural landscape. Shopping and browsing for unique
Pekalongan souvenirs brought the entire series of trips and fieldwork conducted by the
students and faculty members to a close, leaving them with many experiences and
joyful memories from every encounter, as well as the coastal ambiance that will shape
their future academic journeys.

Author: Danumurti
Editor: Leonard Dimas

DIKASTRAT of HIMAJE held Benkyoukai Yukata on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at Margono Room 204, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. The event provided students of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program (BKJ UGM) with an opportunity to learn more about yukata, one of Japan’s traditional garments.

During the event, students explored various aspects of yukata with direct guidance from Japanese participants. Through these interactions, students gained a closer understanding of yukata and its role in Japanese culture.

Through Benkyoukai Yukata, BKJ UGM students not only gained new insights into traditional Japanese clothing but also had the opportunity to experience Japanese culture firsthand. From learning about yukata to having the chance to try one on, the activity offered a memorable experience that enriched the students’ journey of discovering Japanese culture.

Auhor: Sahla Naura Noor Sabrina

Yogyakarta, 26 October 2026 — The Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association (IPPA) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to studying archaeology and other related fields in the Indo-Pacific region. Since its founding more than fifty years ago, IPPA has grown into a large community of academics and practitioners from more than 40 countries.

This year, IPPA will hold its 23rd Congress from 1–7 November 2026 at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta. This international congress, organized collaboratively by the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and the Cultural Affairs Office of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (Kundha Kabudayan) of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, will bring together approximately 880 participants from 42 countries.

Indonesia previously hosted the 14th IPPA Congress in Yogyakarta in 1990, under the leadership of the late Prof. R.P. Soejono. Hosting the congress in Yogyakarta once again is part of Indonesia’s continued contribution to the development of prehistoric studies and the broader field of archaeology in the Indo-Pacific region. Hosting it in Yogyakarta is also an opportunity to introduce the richness of Indonesia’s cultural heritage to the international community. The IPPA President for the 2024–2028 period, Prof. Anggraeni, stated that Indonesia is honored to have been chosen once again as host of the IPPA congress.

By holding the congress regularly, IPPA seeks to sustain knowledge exchange, promote cooperation in the study of prehistory, proto-history, historical archaeology, civilizations, cultural heritage, and the advancement of culture in the Indo-Pacific region, and uphold standards of research ethics. The series of activities at the 23rd Congress of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association, which will run for seven days with scientific and cultural agendas, will serve as an international scientific forum for discussion, knowledge exchange, and strengthened cooperation.

The 23rd IPPA Congress will begin with a workshop on 1 November 2026 covering geographic information systems, geochronology, bioarchaeology, zooarchaeology, microscopic analysis, and cultural heritage, held at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM.

On 2 November 2026, the Opening Ceremony and Gala Dinner will be held at Grha Sabha Pramana. The opening ceremony will be attended by several VIP guests, including the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. (Hons) Dr. H. Fadli Zon, S.S., M.Sc., the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, and the Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., Sp.OG(K), Ph.D.

The scientific agenda, in the form of presentations and discussions, will be held on 3, 4, 6, and 7 November 2026 at the Soegondo Building, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, and the University Club Hotel. Participants, consisting of researchers, academics, practitioners, students, and cultural enthusiasts from 42 countries, will present the results of their work in 8 parallel discussion sessions, as well as in a poster exhibition. This congress will cover a wide range of current archaeological topics and issues in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

On 5 November 2026, participants will join the Mid Conference Tour to cultural heritage and archaeological sites, namely Borobudur Temple, the Liyangan Site, the Prambanan and Plaosan Temple Complexes, and the Sangiran Early Man Site. The congress will close on 7 November 2026 at the University Club Hotel.

Alongside the congress, there will also be a book exhibition by reputable publishers and journals from Indonesia and abroad (including PT Kompas Gramedia, Frontiers Media, Periplus, and the journals Antiquity and Asian Perspective), as well as exhibitions of field and laboratory equipment, batik and lurik, and culinary offerings.

Through academic forums, knowledge exchange, and visits to archaeological sites, the congress is expected to broaden understanding of the development of past societies and cultures in the Indo-Pacific region. The event is also expected to create space for interaction between the international scientific community and Indonesia’s cultural heritage, while strengthening collaborative networks for the future development of archaeological research and cultural heritage.

Further information about IPPA Congress 2026 can be found at:

https://www.ippasecretariat.org/ippa2026

YOGYAKARTA, 2025 – Proud news once again graces the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada. Our students have successfully achieved a remarkable milestone by winning 2nd Place in an international competition, the 2025 영남대학교 KF 글로벌 e-스쿨 한국어 영상 공모전 or the 2025 Yeungnam University KF Global e-School Korean Video Contest. The series of this competition ran from October 25, 2025, until the winner announcement on December 10, 2025.

Generally, this competition challenged its participants to share what they know about Korea through a video presentation. The study program’s representative team, “Team Bini” (빈이 팀), consisting of Anisa Setya Utami, Bena Thinkir Pitulas, and Aisyah Reyhan Nugrahani, successfully amazed the judges with their video titled “내가 아는 한국은 인도네시아에 있다” (The Korea I Know is in Indonesia) and emerged as the second-place winner. For those curious about their work, the full video can be watched through the following link.

In the video, Team Bini briefly explained the topic of “내가 아는 한국” (The Korea I know) which is now often and easily found in Indonesia. Some of the highlighted aspects include the popularity of Korean food, Korean style fashion trends, and the Korean drama phenomenon. Interestingly, the video provided an analytical touch by discussing the cultural similarities between Korea’s concept of “정” (Jeong) and Indonesia’s proud local culture of gotong-royong (mutual cooperation).

Anisa, Bena, and Aisyah expressed that this victory was a very happy surprise. “It was so much fun to get a new experience. It was the definition of doing something for fun and getting a reward. We didn’t expect to be one of the winners,” expressed the team representative, sharing their impression after participating in the competition.

Furthermore, Team Bini also left an inspiring message for their fellow students not to waste opportunities during their studies. “You have to try the experience of joining a competition with friends at least once in your college life, and don’t hesitate to participate in competitions shared by lecturers or the study program. Winning or losing is normal and comes later. Whether you win or lose, you will definitely gain the experience. That is what matters,” they advised.

Once again, congratulations to Anisa, Bena, and Aisyah for their extraordinary achievement! Hopefully, this 2nd place achievement and the daring spirit to try from Team Bini can continue to inspire all students.

Author: Salwa Aulia

Depok, 5–6 October 2026 — The Indonesian Association of Postgraduate Linguistics Programs (Perkumpulan Program Pascasarjana Linguistik Indonesia, PROPLI) held a meeting on 5–6 October 2026 at the Toety Herati Noerhadi Auditorium, R.M. Ng. Poerbatjaraka Building, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia, Depok. The meeting addressed key issues concerning the strengthening of the association and the development and alignment of postgraduate linguistics curricula across Indonesia.

The meeting opened with a report by PROPLI Chair Dr. Triaswarin Sutanarihesti, who outlined the organization’s development since its establishment in 2018. The association was initially founded at Universitas Gadjah Mada under the name APMALI (Asosiasi Program Studi Magister Linguistik Seluruh Indonesia), with Prof. Suhandano as its chair. In 2024, a change in leadership coincided with a change of name to PROPLI. Its membership was subsequently expanded to include doctoral programs in linguistics, in addition to master’s programs.

One of the main agenda items was the process of obtaining a notarial deed for the association. The session featured notary Fatma, S.H., M.Kn., M.H., and was moderated by Dr. Triaswarin Sutanarihesti. The discussion aimed to ensure that the administrative and institutional requirements for the association’s formal establishment were properly addressed.

PROPLI also discussed restructuring its organizational leadership, including the positions of chair, vice chair, supervisory board, treasurer, secretary, and supporting divisions. The association’s assets, currently recorded at IDR 33 million, were also discussed as part of its organizational administration.

The meeting further addressed the graduate profile for master’s programs in linguistics in Indonesia. PROPLI recommended that graduates be qualified as language experts, with competencies aligned with Level 8 of Indonesia’s National Qualifications Framework (Kerangka Kualifikasi Nasional Indonesia, KKNI) and the National Standards for Higher Education (SN-Dikti).

Aligning Postgraduate Linguistics Curricula

The next session focused on aligning curricula with the latest higher education regulations. The session featured Prof. Dr. Made Sri Setyawati, M.Hum., and Prof. Oktavianus, and was moderated by Dr. Putu Pramania Adnyana.

The discussion covered several key considerations in curriculum development: the focus and workload of study programs, curriculum structure and competency matrices, flexibility and updated learning materials, and support for research.

The meeting noted that the minimum study load for master’s programs is governed by Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 39 of 2025 on Higher Education Quality Assurance, as well as UGM’s internal regulations: Rector Regulation No. 23 of 2024 on Education and Rector Regulation No. 19 of 2025, which amends the earlier regulation. Under the provisions discussed, master’s programs must comprise at least 36 semester credit units (SKS).

Beyond credit requirements, participants discussed how to balance core competencies with the distinctive academic strengths of individual universities. The core curriculum is expected to establish a shared set of competencies, while each university may retain distinctive elements that reflect its academic profile and areas of strength.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of ensuring continuity in learning outcomes across degree levels. Master’s students in linguistics, for example, are expected to develop a sound understanding of microlinguistics, including phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics, as well as one area of macrolinguistics relevant to their field of study.

Differences in expected competencies at each degree level were also discussed. Undergraduate programs emphasize descriptive skills, master’s programs focus on explanatory skills, and doctoral programs are expected to develop both explanatory and discovery-oriented capabilities. Participants also emphasized the need to distinguish course titles across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs to reflect their respective levels of competency. For example, a bachelor’s program may offer Introduction to Semantics, while a master’s program may offer Advanced Semantics.

The curriculum discussion also covered different modes of postgraduate study, including research-based programs (by research), coursework-based programs (by course), and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Curriculum development is expected to respond to the needs of postgraduate linguistics education while preserving the academic distinctiveness of each university.

The PROPLI meeting brought together representatives of postgraduate linguistics programs from various universities to discuss institutional development and the future direction of linguistics education in Indonesia. The outcomes of these discussions are expected to inform further efforts to strengthen the association and align postgraduate linguistics curricula across the country.

Author: Master’s Program in Linguistics