Yogyakarta, September 11, 2024 – Room S709 Soegondo Building 7th Floor Faculty of Cultural Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) was filled with academics, students, and the general public who enthusiastically attended the national seminar entitled “Palestine: From Nakba to Tufan Al-Aqsa” on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. The seminar was held to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Hindun, M.Hum., an expert in language, communication, and culture who has devoted herself for many years at UGM.

Dr. Hindun, M.Hum. is a lecturer at Faculty of Humanities UGM with specialization in Arabic literature, communication, and culture. She completed her master’s degree at the Faculty of Humanities UGM with a thesis on Emha Ainun Nadjib’s Asmaul Husna poems and Al-Ghazali’s “Al-Maqshadul-Asna”. In 2016, he earned his doctorate at the Department of Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM with a thesis entitled “Palestinian Arab Resistance in the Poetry of Maḥmūd Darwīsh: A Study of Adab al-Muqāwamah al-Ayyūbī.”

The seminar, hosted by Dr. Hindun, presented an in-depth discussion on Palestinian history and literature, focusing on two major events that shaped the narrative of the Palestinian struggle. “Nakba” refers to the tragedy of the expulsion and suffering of the Palestinian people in 1948, and ‘Tufan Al-Aqsa,’ a term used to describe the current situation in the region.

With the end of the seminar, the Faculty of Humanities UGM affirmed its commitment to continue supporting research and studies relevant to global issues, including the Palestinian conflict and literature. The seminar was also a moment of reflection and appreciation for the dedication of Dr. Hindun who has made great contributions in the academic and research fields over the years.

Yogyakarta, August 13, 2024 – The Faculty of Humanities of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) successfully held the inaugural lecture for new undergraduate students of the Class of 2024 with the theme “The Role of Humanities in the 21st Century”. The event was held on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, from 08.00 WIB to 11.00 WIB at Soegondo Building, UGM. Facing the number of participants reaching 700 people, this inaugural lecture was held offline at Soegondo Auditorium and online in various classes that had been determined. The division of rooms for this event was as follows:

– Soegondo Auditorium: Students of the Cultural Anthropology, Indonesian Language and Literature, and Tourism Study Programs.

– Soegondo Room 707: Students of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture, French Language and Literature, and History programs.

– Soegondo Room 625+627: Students of Korean Language and Culture Study Program.

– Soegondo Room 521+522: Students of the English Literature Study Program.

– Soegondo Room 407+409: Students of the Arabic Literature Study Program.

– Soegondo Room 310: Students of Japanese Language and Culture Study Program.

– Soegondo Room 226+227: Students of the Archaeology Study Program.

The event was attended by Heads of Departments and Heads of Undergraduate Study Programs (S1) and guided by the moderator, Dr. Wulan Tri Astuti, S.S., M.A.. This event certainly presents excellent speakers: Prof. Dr. Fadlil Munawaar Manshur, M.S., Prof. Dr. Bambang Hudayana, M.A., Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum., and Prof. Dr. Hendrokumoro, M.Hum. The speakers gave in-depth presentations on the contribution and relevance of the humanities in the context of the 21st century, providing valuable insights for the new students to start their academic journey. With high enthusiasm and spirit, new students are expected to absorb knowledge and inspiration from this inaugural lecture to build useful knowledge in the field of humanities.

Arabic Literature students from Padjadjaran University and North Sumatra University delivered farewell to the Head of the Arabic Literature Study Program at UGM, Dr. Zulfa Purnamawati, S.S., M.Hum., after completing a one-semester of Pertukaran Mahasiswa Merdeka (PMM) at UGM Arabic Literature. This moment took place in Yogyakarta on June 25th, 2024.

During this exchange program, the students had the opportunity to attend various courses offered by the Arabic Literature Study Program at UGM. Additionally, they were involved in cultural and academic activities that enriched their understanding of the Arabic language and culture. Dr. Zulfa Purnamawati expressed her pride in the dedication and enthusiasm for learning shown by the three students.

This student exchange program not only provided students with the opportunity to broaden their academic horizons but also to build networks and collaborations between universities in Indonesia. It is hoped that this experience will greatly benefit the students in their academic and career development in the future.

On Tuesday, June 4, 2024 yesterday, a National Seminar was held with the theme “Arabic Language Development in Various Media” as a tribute to Dr. Masrukhi. M.Hum before entering his retirement. The seminar was attended by his fellow lecturers and even attended by several officials such as the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, M.Si., Head of the Department of Language and Literature, Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum., and Head of the Arabic Literature Study Program, Dr. Zulfa Purnamawati, S.S., M.Hum. Apart from lecturers, students who had been taught by him also attended the seminar. 

After the event was opened, Eka Setiawan and Pandhita Hapsari as the host handed over their duties to Dr. Arief Ma’nawi, S.S., M.Hum. as moderator to guide the seminar. The core event was the National Seminar with speakers including Prof. Dr. Syamsul Hadi, S.U., M.A., Prof. Dr. H Tulus Musthofa, Lc., M.A. and Dr. Moh. Masrukhi, M.Hum. himself. The presentation of mementos was handed over by Dr. Mahmudah, S.S., M.Hum. as a representative of Middle Eastern Cultural Studies and Dra. Uswatun Hasanah, M.A. as a representative of Arabic Literature study program lecturers. The event was closed with a tumpeng cutting procession by the honorable Dr. Mohammad Masrukhi M.Hum.

Yogyakarta, Thursday, June 6, 2024 – The Arabic Literature Study Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held an offline Tourism Arabic Lecture at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. The lecture presented a practitioner from UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences Alumni, Ghifari Yuristiadhi Masyhari Makhasi, S.S., M.A., M.M., C.H.E. who currently works as a Tourism Lecturer at UGM Vocational School. In this activity, Ghifari shared experiences and practical knowledge on how to become a proficient Arabic tour guide.

The students were very enthusiastic about the lecture, especially because they could directly interact with practitioners and get first-hand insight into the challenges and opportunities in the tourism industry using Arabic. Ghifari also provided a tour guide simulation, where students were invited to play the role of tour guides and tourists. With this lecture, students are expected to be better prepared for the world of work and have additional skills that can increase their competitiveness in the global market.

This lecture is part of the UGM Arabic Literature Study Program’s efforts to improve the quality of education and curriculum relevance to industry needs.