Yogyakarta, June 15, 2025 — The Korean Language and Culture Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held an inspiring talkshow titled “From Language Major to the Professional World” featuring alumni from the class of 2010. This event was part of the learning series for the course Comprehensive Korean II, aimed at providing students with insight and motivation regarding various career opportunities after graduation.

The 90-minute talkshow featured three alumni who have built careers across different professional sectors. Angela Pehulisa Meliala, currently serving as Head of the Analysis Division for the Indonesia and Vietnam regions at PT Mitra Aktif Adiperkasa, Tbk., shared her career journey that began through a management trainee program. She highlighted the importance of communication skills and critical thinking as essential competencies in the workplace.

The second speaker, Rachmat Aditya Hutama, is now a public servant in the Government of Victoria, Australia. He spoke about how the networks he developed during his studies at UGM—both within and beyond the Korean language field—greatly influenced his career path. Adit also shared tips on accessing essential career-related information, including Working Holiday Visa (WHV) registration, which became the starting point of his international career.

The third speaker, Sukmawati Nur Salamah, currently a civil servant lecturer in the Tourism Program at Universitas Brawijaya, emphasized the need to develop both hard and soft skills beyond language proficiency. She reminded students that there are no shortcuts to success, and that achieving one’s goals requires dedication and effort.

The talkshow was moderated by Alfiana Amrin Rosyadi, S.S., M.A., the course instructor. In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of such forums to foster synergy between academia and the professional world. “Talkshows like this are important to broaden students’ perspectives. In the future, we hope to hold similar events regularly, in addition to organizing industry visits,” she stated.

Student enthusiasm for the event was notably high, with many sharing their impressions in the class group chat.

“We gained so many new insights and valuable lessons from this talkshow. It gave us a better idea of what to expect in the professional world, along with helpful career preparation tips. 감사합니다^^”

“Thank you so much for providing us with this opportunity to learn from insightful speakers. I’m so glad I joined!”

“This talkshow truly broadened our horizons. We feel fortunate to have participated in this class and to have gained so much knowledge and experience. 감사합니다! ”

Through this event, students of the Korean Language and Culture Program are expected to become more prepared and confident in navigating the professional world, equipped with both academic knowledge and relevant skills.

[Author: Alfiana]

Yogyakarta, 31/05/2025 – Another proud achievement came from mahadaya (students of Cultural Sciences). Nurcholish Ramadhan, a 2024 student from the Department of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, successfully directed the production of a theater performance entitled Sat-Set. The show was performed by Teater Berdaya in Prabusena (Cultural, Art, and Islamic Appreciation Stage of PD IPM Bantul) 2025 on Saturday night, May 31, 2025 at 20.00 WIB, at the 1st Floor Hall of the Da’wah Building of PDM Bantul.

Sat-Set Theater tells the story of the love journey of Fikar, a 28-year-old man, the son of a panewu (sub-district head), who falls in love with Alya – the daughter of his late father’s best friend. An accidental meeting in the square is the beginning of Fikar’s love story. After some research, Fikar learns that Alya is the daughter of Paklik Pram, his father’s old friend. They stay close for a month, but Fikar never proposes. To provoke Fikar’s sincerity, Paklik Pram created the rumor that Alya would be married off. The plan worked. Although Fikar initially only expressed his feelings in front of Paklik and Bulik Pram, he finally received their blessing. Later, Fikar went to the park where he often visited with Alya. There they meet again after not seeing each other for several days. Finally, Fikar expresses his love and immediately asks Alya to marry him.

The uniqueness of Sat-Set theater lies in its source of inspiration. Nurcholish Ramadhan said that Sat-Set was inspired by Serat Riyanta, a Javanese literary work written by R. B. Soelardi in 1918. In an online interview conducted on June 12, 2025, Nurcholish explained that his interest in the fiber began with a course assignment. “After I read Serat Riyanta from beginning to end, I was interested and liked the story, so I had an idea to translate it into a performance,” he explained.

The production process of the performance was not free from challenges. Nurcholish mentioned that the limited duration required him to summarize the narrative of Serat Riyanta effectively, without losing the essence of the story. In addition, funding constraints were also an obstacle. Nevertheless, he was grateful that the performance could run optimally.

“Through this performance, I learned to go deeper into the work that was referred to when it was adapted into a theater script. Then, I feel happy to be able to accommodate the potential and talents of my fellow Muhammadiyah students in the arts,” he said.

Sat-Set Theater is a tangible form of nguri-uri ‘preserving’ and ngurip-urip ‘enlivening’ regional arts, literature, and culture. Past literary works hold a wealth of historical values, knowledge, moral and didactic teachings, and interesting stories to be revived. Through the excavation, preservation and utilization of these cultural treasures, the community not only benefits sustainably, but also builds a sense of pride in the nation’s noble identity. As Nurcholish said at the end of the interview. “A history and culture will always be preserved when there are people who want to nyinau (learn) and adum ilmu (share knowledge),” he concluded.

[Haryo Untoro]

Yogyakarta, May 22, 2025 — The Japanese Language and Culture Study Program (BKJ) of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) welcomed a visit from SMP Montessori on Thursday (22/5), held in Meeting Room 1 of the Poerbatjaraka Building, FIB UGM.

This visit was part of an early introduction to higher education for junior high school students, particularly focusing on Japanese language and culture. The delegation was warmly welcomed by the Head of the BKJ Study Program, Mr. Tatang Sumarsono, M.Hum., who expressed appreciation for the students’ interest in exploring cultural studies more deeply.

In her remarks, Ms. Rengganis Istikasari, representing SMP Montessori, explained that the visit marked the school’s initial effort to introduce students to the humanities faculty, after previously focusing more on visits to faculties in the exact sciences. “We want our students to understand what university life is like, both in terms of environment and academic substance,” she stated.

The event continued with a presentation on the vision and mission of the BKJ Study Program by Mr. Roby Winarso, M.Hum., followed by thematic lectures delivered by BKJ lecturers:

• Ms. Tuti Widiastuti, M.Hum. presented a session on Moral Education (Doutoku) in Japan, which is part of the compulsory curriculum at the elementary and junior high school levels. The session emphasized the development of students’ character through values such as sincerity, responsibility, simplicity, and self-control.

• Mr. Najih Fawaid, M.Hum. discussed the importance of aisatsu (greeting expressions) in Japanese society, which reflect politeness and social order. Expressions such as ohayou gozaimasu, konnichiwa, and yoroshiku onegaishimasu were highlighted as vital components of Japanese communication etiquette.

• Mr. Moeljadi, M.Hum. introduced the concept of omotenashi, a Japanese philosophy of service that emphasizes sincerity, attention to detail, and creating the best possible experience for others without expecting anything in return.

The session concluded with a lively Q&A segment. Aya, one of the students, asked an interesting question about ramen dining etiquette, which was enthusiastically addressed by the lecturers. The activity provided students with a direct experience of Japanese culture, not only in theory but also through interactive discussion with academic professionals.

[Public Relation of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Muhammad Ebid El Hakim]

Jakarta – Muhammad Ghazi Al Ghifari and Amalia Faradilla, students of The Arabic Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, are participating in an internship program at the Directorate of Zakat and Waqf Empowerment, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta. Students are assigned to the administrative subdivision under the guidance of Fehmi Kurnia, S.E., M.Tr.A.P., and Iqbal Fadli Muhammad, S.E.I., M.Si. The internship program, which runs from August 26, 2024, to November 29, 2024, aims to provide practical experience in managing zakat and waqf as part of Islamic philanthropy.

During the internship, students are involved in various activities, including analyzing data from the National Zakat Management Report (LPZN) 2022–2024, processing data on zakat collection and distribution, creating an amil (zakat administrator) data matrix, compiling and editing books, editing videos, and preparing presentation slides on zakat, infaq, sadaqah, and other religious social funds (ZIS-DSKL). They also have the opportunity to participate in official external activities, visit the National Amil Zakat Agency and Amil Zakat Institutions, attend the World Zakat and Wakf Forum 2024, and the inauguration of Firdaus Memorial Park.

Through this internship program, students gain a deeper understanding of zakat and waqf management as well as the relevant regulations. With the knowledge and experience they acquire, they are expected to contribute to improving the welfare of the community through Islamic philanthropy.

[S1 Sastra Arab, Amalia Faradilla]

Yogyakarta, 13/2/25 – The Department of History, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada has successfully held a public lecture entitled “Beyond the Point of No Return: The Re-Emergence of Indonesian Debates and Concepts of the Return of Cultural Objects” on Thursday, February 13, 2025 at Soegondo’s Auditorium Building.

The public lecture was opened with remarks from the Head of the UGM Department of History, Dr. Abdul Wahid, who emphasized the importance of academic studies in the context of repatriation. The large number of Indonesian artifacts brought to the Netherlands was often accompanied by coercion. This is evidenced by the strengthening of momentum in the post-1949 era, especially in the 1970s, centered on the Dutch perspective, which tended to marginalize Indonesian voices on the issue.

Documentation of UGM Department of History, Muhammad Faisal Adnan

The session featured Dr. Sadiah Boonstra, a historian and curator from CultureLab Consultancy who is also an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne. She said that this public lecture was part of her repatriation research program in Indonesia. The research aims to examine more deeply the issue of returning cultural objects that historically originated from Indonesia, but are now in museums in the Netherlands.

In her lecture, Dr. Sadiah Boonstra highlighted the latest developments regarding the return of Indonesian artifacts, including the steps taken by the Royal Family of the Netherlands in returning a number of historical items to Indonesia. However, she also explained that museum collections in the Netherlands cannot be arbitrarily transferred, but must first be offered to other public institutions before being returned to their country of origin.

“The repatriation process is not simple. There are various legal and procedural challenges that must be met, especially since each country has its own regulations when it comes to the transfer of museum collections,” said Dr. Sadiah Boonstra.

Along with the increasing awareness of the importance of returning historical artifacts to Indonesia, this public lecture is expected to be a spark for academics and stakeholders to continue fighting for Indonesia’s rights to its cultural objects scattered in various parts of the world.

[Public Relation of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Muhammad Ebid El Hakim]