Yogyakarta, 27/3/2025 – Noviyanti Alfitri (NIM 24/533646/SA/22795), a 2024 student from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture study program, inaugurated as a Diajeng Gunungkidul 2025 at the end of February. Diajeng is a representation of a young woman from a regency—in this case, Gunungkidul Regency—specifically in the field of tourism. Usually Diajeng is paired with Dimas (as a representation of youngman). They promote nature and culture-based tourism in their district and become icons for young people.

The selection process for the Dimas-Diajeng icon began in December 2024. Starting from the selection of files and administration, written selection, interview selection, then the announcement of 15 finalists who were quarantined, and officially crowned on the coronation night on February 22, 2025.

As the holder of the title Diajeng Gunungkidul, Noviyanti or who is familiarly called Upik has the main responsibility of assisting in the marketing sector at the Tourism Office in promoting tourism in Gunungkidul Regency.

Not the coronation night, according to Upik, the most memorable experience during the Dimas-Diajeng selection process was during quarantine. During the quarantine period, Upik gained a lot of knowledge ranging from tourism, culture, regional specialties, public speaking, and others. This increased Upik’s knowledge and Upik learned a lot of new things during the quarantine period.

In addition to the most memorable moments, Upik also said that she had difficulty in time management. Because of the tight timeline of the selection process, Upik had to adjust her lecture schedule at UGM with her other activities. However, fortunately Upik was able to go through everything smoothly by making a priority scale.

Even though she has been named Diajeng Gunungkidul 2025, Upik realizes that she is still part of the UGM Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture students. Therefore, Upik wants to contribute a lot to her study program. She wants to do several things; become a writer or participant in the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Bali, become a talent or production team in the Gugur Gunung activity, and maybe take part in a competition to bring the name of the study program. In addition, Upik also has an ambition to be able to write her own anthology. 

Wow, it seems like Upik has so many desires and ambitions! Hopefully, all of Upik’s ambitions can be achieved smoothly without any significant obstacles. With this story, hopefully other students will also be motivated to do what they like and develop themselves even more!

[Public Relations of Javanese Literature, Fega Achillea Maydena]

Yogyakarta, March 21, 2025 – RUBIKON: Journal of Transnational American Studies has officially achieved SINTA 3 accreditation, as stated in the Decree of the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology Number 0173/C3/DT.05.00/2025, issued on March 21, 2025. This achievement further strengthens Rubikon’s position as one of the most influential academic journals in Indonesia in the field of American Studies and expands its reach in global academic discourse.

Managed by the Master’s Program in American Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Rubikon is an academic journal that focuses on transnational studies, particularly examining American influences beyond its borders, including in Indonesia. The journal is led by Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Ida Rochani Adi, S.U., and Managing Editor, Dr. Aris Munandar, M. Hum., and supported by an editorial team consisting of scholars from various universities in Indonesia and abroad, such as Northeast Normal University (China), Deakin University (Australia), and Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand). Since its inception, Rubikon has also collaborated with the American Studies Society of Indonesia (ASSINDO), strengthening its academic network in American Studies.

As a transnational journal, Rubikon explores a wide range of topics, including American literature and culture, society and minority groups, popular culture and globalization, politics and foreign policy, as well as American hegemony in the digital era. The name Rubikon is derived from the historic Rubicon River, which symbolizes a point of no return—a philosophy that reflects the journal’s mission to open new perspectives and provide fresh insights into academic studies.

The achievement of SINTA 3 accreditation not only serves as a testament to Rubikon’s academic quality but also reinforces its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As an open-access journal, Rubikon supports SDG 4: Quality Education by providing free academic publications accessible to anyone, ensuring the broad dissemination of knowledge without financial barriers. Moreover, many published articles focus on SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, addressing the representation of minority and gender groups in American culture and examining how these issues resonate in global contexts, including Indonesia. On a larger scale, Rubikon also aligns with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals by fostering international academic collaborations, enriching scholarly discussions, and strengthening research networks in transnational studies.

Published twice a year and free of charge, Rubikon continues to provide opportunities for academics and researchers to contribute their ideas and expand the horizons of transnational studies. With its SINTA 3 accreditation, the journal is now more firmly positioned as an innovative, inclusive, and impactful academic platform.

For more information and article submissions, visit Rubikon’s official website at: https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/rubikon/.

[Public Relations of American Studies UGM, Nariza Ayu Pasha]

Yogyakarta, 26/3/2025 –   Get ready for an exciting learning journey in the Odd Semester 2025/2026! Join the INCULS Regular Program at UGM, where you can enhance your Indonesian language skills while experiencing Indonesia’s rich culture.

Registration Period: March 21 – May 26, 2025

Location: Online at admission.ugm.ac.id/registration

Program: INCULS Regular Program (Odd Semester 2025/2026)

Register now and be part of an international learning experience!

Open to the public!

Regular Program

An offline learning program held in 15-17 weeks (1 semester). Every year, INCULS holds two semesters of the regular program. The 1st semester begins in early August and the 2nd semester begins in February for each academic year. 

In this program, students in the beginner level are assigned to take 12 credits (12 hours/week). Students in the intermediate level must register for a minimum of 8 credits and maximum of12 credits. Students in the advanced level must register for a minimum of 6 credits and maximum of 12 credits. 

Aside from the language courses (reading, writing, conversation, listening, grammar, and vocabulary), INCULS also provides elective courses such as Translation of English Indonesian, Translation of Japanese-Indonesian, Indonesian for Research, Translation of Korean-Indonesian, Indonesian History, Indonesian Culture, Indonesian Politics, Indonesian Language and Literature, and Indonesian Tourism. 

All subjects are taught by professors of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. At the end of the course, students will receive a certificate of completion and transcript signed by the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University.

For More Information: https://bit.ly/INCULSBrochure

How To Apply: https://bit.ly/INCULSHowtoApply

Apply Here: admission.ugm.ac.id/registration

[Public Relations of INCULS, Decika Syahda Maharani]

Yogyakarta, 25/3/2025 – Tourism Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a cooperation meeting with Saxion University on Friday, February 28, 2025. This visit is part of the ongoing cooperation established between the two institutions in recent years and is an important momentum in strengthening academic collaboration globally. The visit was attended by representatives from Saxion University, Jan Willem Meijerhof, as Head of Internationalization, Hospitality Business School, and Jasja Bos, Manager International Partnerships.

The discussion at FIB campus focused on curriculum comparison between the two institutions. The meeting further aims to initiate curriculum alignment as well as explore opportunities for more collaborative program development in the future. With this exchange of insights, it is expected to create a curriculum that is increasingly relevant to the needs of the global tourism industry and produce graduates who are ready to compete at the international level.

Mimi Savitri, M.A. Ph. D., Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni of FIB UGM, expressed her hope that cooperation with Saxion University will continue to help implement the vision of the Tourism Study Program in providing quality education with international collaborations. Cooperation between universities, both locally and globally, is a key factor in improving the quality of education, especially in the tourism sector which is dynamic and cross-cultural.

One form of cooperation that is possible to be implemented in the near future is a student exchange program. This program is expected to provide cross-cultural learning experiences for students of both institutions and broaden their horizons in the field of tourism and hospitality. With the exchange program, students are expected to gain broader and new perspectives, understand best practices in various countries, and develop professional networks early on.

The collaboration between the Tourism Study Program of FIB UGM and Saxion University is in line with the commitment to support sustainable development goals, especially SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 17: Partnerships to Achieve Goals. Hopefully, this collaboration will not only strengthen academic collaboration at the global level but also improve the standard of tourism education in Indonesia, create excellent graduates, and contribute to the development of a more sustainable and inclusive tourism industry.

[Public Relations of Tourism  Department FIB UGM, Muhammad Alif]

Yogyakarta, 25/3/2025 – To enhance collaboration and improve human resources (HR) quality for the next generation, the Middle Eastern Cultural Studies Masters Program (KBTT) at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), hosted a visit from strategic partners on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Representatives from Darunnajah University Jakarta, along with the Head of Pondok Modern Tazakka in Batang and Mr. Irman Adi Purwanto Moefti, the Trade Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo, participated in discussions regarding the challenges and opportunities for HR development in various educational institutions. The visit was warmly received by Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum., the Head of the Intercultural Department at FIB UGM, who highlighted the importance of synergy between educational institutions in producing exceptional graduates capable of contributing to sustainable development.

The productive discussion emphasized the crucial role of higher education in enhancing the quality of human resources at Islamic boarding schools and universities. Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum., stated that higher education should serve as a strong foundation for students to develop their potential across various fields, particularly in the context of globalization and sustainability. This view is shared by KH. Hadiyanto Arief, S.H., M.Bs., from Darunnajah University Jakarta, who stressed the importance of academic support for students to prepare them for future challenges. Additionally, KH. Anang Rikza Masyhadi, M.A., Ph.D., Head of the Tazakka Modern Islamic Boarding School, highlighted the necessity of ongoing academic collaboration by sending Islamic boarding school cadres to the KBTT Study Program at FIB UGM. This initiative aims to cultivate competent future leaders who can transform Islamic boarding schools into responsible institutions.

This activity not only strengthens the relationships between partners but also opens up new opportunities for community service and more inclusive academic development. Through this discussion, we aim to create strategic programs that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the area of quality education (SDG 4). The collaboration between the KBTT UGM Study Program, Darunnajah University, and Pondok Modern Tazakka is a significant step towards implementing SDG 17, which focuses on partnerships to achieve the goals of building exceptional human resources. These resources will not only be academically competent but also possess a strong social awareness, contributing to the progress of both the nation and the world.

[Public Relations Master of Middle East Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, Nafila Azzahra]