For many students, participating in an exchange program is not only about studying in a different country but also about stepping outside of their comfort zone and discovering fresh perspectives. Ardhanamesvari Nuringtyas Aji, known as Vari, is currently experiencing this journey at the National University of Singapore (NUS)  through the DiscoverNUS exchange program. This remarkable program empowers international students to study at NUS, with tuition fees fully covered for one semester. Vari discovered this opportunity through the Office of International Affairs’s website at Universitas Gadjah Mada (OIA UGM). 

Her decision to choose NUS came from practical considerations and personal curiosity. Unlike many students who may have long planned a specific destination, Vari described her choice as something that felt achievable and worth pursuing. “I saw the information and felt like I could meet all the requirements and timeline,” she shared. She felt that Singapore was a realistic opportunity, especially due to its proximity to Indonesia. With a desire to apply for an exchange program, she decided to seize the moment.

Before departing, Vari had to prepare many things, including preparing documents such as recommendation letters and a motivational letter, renewing her passport, and taking the IELTS test. Once accepted, there were still many practical matters to arrange, from issuing a student visa and applying for on-campus housing to selecting classes for the semester. Although demanding, these preparations became an important part of her transition into studying abroad.

Arriving in Singapore for the first time as an exchange student made a strong impression. Compared to Yogyakarta, Vari immediately noticed how different the atmosphere felt. “This city is so modern,” she said, describing Singapore as a place where “everywhere I go it’s very tidy and structured.” She was also surprised by the academic culture at NUS, where classroom participation plays a major role in students’ grades, making discussions highly active and interactive. Another thing that stood out to her was the relaxed dress culture on campus. At the same time, she realised that achieving high grades at NUS was considerably more challenging than she initially expected.

Having never lived outside Yogyakarta, Vari faced several challenges adapting to life in Singapore. She had to adjust to living independently in a shared dormitory, navigating public transportation, and keeping up with the demanding academic environment at the NUS, where active participation, projects, and discussions play a major role in class. To adapt, she gradually built new habits, including spending more time studying at the library. 

During the program, Vari’s daily routine gradually became more structured. On weekdays, she usually wakes up around eight or nine in the morning to have breakfast at her residence hall, which provides meals for students. Outside of academics, she often attends campus events, meets Indonesian friends for lunch, and studies at the library in the evening. In addition, she uses the weekends to explore Singapore together with friends and experience more of the city beyond campus life.

Through her exchange experience, Vari feels that she has grown both personally and academically. Living independently in a new country taught her to become more confident, adaptable, and disciplined, while studying in a highly competitive environment motivated her to work harder and be more consistent. Meeting people from different cultures also broadened her perspective in many ways. “I learned to be brave and confident in doing new things,” she shared.

Reflecting on her journey, Vari encourages other students not to be afraid of trying new opportunities abroad. She emphasises the importance of paying attention to timelines and administrative details, while also staying open to new experiences. For her, the exchange program became one of the most valuable experiences in her life, filled with meaningful lessons, unforgettable memories, and new friendships. “It might sound scary and intimidating at first,” she said, “but once you start the journey, you’ll thank yourself for giving it a try.”

During the final meeting of the first half of the Postcolonialism course, students of the Master’s Program in Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada had the opportunity to attend a guest lecture titled Baltic Postcolonialism, delivered by Dr. Irma Budginaitė-Mačkinė, Associate Professor of Sociology at Vilnius University, Lithuania. Dr. Irma visited Indonesia as part of a research mobility scheme funded by Project MARS: Non-Western Migration from Global Perspectives.

The lecture was organized by Dr. Arifah Arum Candra Hayuningsih, the lecturer responsible for the first half of the Postcolonialism course. The guest lecture for the Master’s Program in Literature was held on Monday (27/4/2026) at Soegondo Building Room 224, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Postcolonialism is one of the compulsory courses designed to provide students with an understanding of the dynamics of colonialism and its impacts on various aspects of life, including language, literature, economics, politics, and culture. The course does not only focus on countries in Asia and Africa, but also covers other regions such as the Caribbean, Kenya, India, Vietnam, and Eastern Europe, including Lithuania, which experienced forms of domination different from classical colonialism.

These diverse colonial experiences gave rise to postcolonial thinkers who sought to critique and deconstruct colonial hegemony through reflective and critical ideas. Figures such as Aimé Césaire, Albert Memmi, Frantz Fanon, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Chandra Talpade Mohanty, and Édouard Glissant contributed diverse perspectives in understanding colonialism and the process of decolonization.

In her presentation, the academic, whose interdisciplinary background spans political science and sociology, highlighted Lithuania’s ambiguous position within postcolonial studies, particularly in the post-Soviet context. To understand this ambiguity, Lithuania must be viewed within a post-imperial framework, as a country transitioning from the rule of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union into the post-Soviet era. Lithuania cannot easily be categorized as a “colonized” nation in the classical colonial sense, yet it still experienced forms of colonial-like domination.

Geographically, Lithuania covers an area of approximately 65,300 km², roughly half the size of Java Island, with a population of around 2.9 million people, comparable to the population of Yogyakarta City. Its national language, Lithuanian, belongs to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family and remains an important part of the country’s national identity despite historical pressures.

Historically, Lithuania was once part of a political union through the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569. However, in 1795, the country lost its sovereignty and became part of the Russian Empire. Since then, various policies demonstrated that the domination imposed upon Lithuania was neither simple nor singular, but systematic and complex.

During her presentation, the sociologist, who has conducted scientific research for more than a decade, also discussed the perspective of historian Darius Staliūnas, who described Russian domination in Lithuania as extending into many aspects of life. Politically, Lithuania was placed under external control that restricted national sovereignty. Socially, repression in the form of censorship and limitations on freedom became part of the people’s lived experience. Economically, exploitation and the redirection of economic orientation served the interests of the imperial center.

In the spheres of culture, language, and religion, this domination manifested through policies promoting Russification. The Russian government promoted Orthodox Christianity, limited the influence of the Catholic Church, and at one point prohibited the use of the Latin alphabet. These policies reflected systematic attempts to displace Lithuania’s local identity. Furthermore, education and knowledge were also used as instruments of control to shape public ways of thinking according to the interests of those in power.

As a response to these pressures, Lithuanians demonstrated various forms of resistance, one of which was large-scale migration. Between 1865 and 1915, around 700,000 Lithuanians left their country and migrated to regions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Germany. This migration can be understood as an indirect form of resistance against the domination they experienced.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Lithuania entered a post-Soviet transition phase marked by the restoration of political independence in 1990 and the end of direct external control. Nevertheless, the effects of previous domination continue to be felt today. Like many other Eastern European countries, Lithuania faces challenges as a relatively less-developed nation that is not yet fully modernized and is still striving to catch up with Western countries.

Therefore, Lithuania’s experience demonstrates that colonialism does not always take the form of explicit geographical occupation, but can also be recognized through complex and layered power relations. This ambiguity makes Lithuania a compelling case in postcolonial studies, while also expanding the scope of postcolonial analysis beyond the Global South.

[Magister Sastra, Selvia Parwati Putri]

The Japanese Language and Culture Study Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) once again achieved a national accomplishment by winning the Grand Champion title at the 2nd Hiroshima University Japanese Essay Contest in Indonesia. The awards were presented on 7 February 2026 during the award ceremony held at Garuda Hall, Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, involving various national and international institutions as event partners.

The Japanese-language essay contest was organized by Hiroshima University in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia and Universitas Dharma Persada, with support from the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, the Association of Japanese Language Education, PT Suzuki Indomobil Sales, SPRIX Inc., Nihon Talent Solution, Andersen Group, Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd., Chateraise Co., Ltd., and Marugame Udon. In its second year, the competition received 268 essay submissions from 24 universities across Indonesia, a significant increase compared to the previous year, which received only 96 submissions.

Out of hundreds of submissions, 30 participants were selected to advance to the interview stage. UGM submitted 21 essays, with three participants advancing to the interview round, and two of them receiving awards, including the Grand Champion title.

A 2022 student of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program UGM, Michelle Anastasia Budiman, won the Grand Champion award and received prizes including a MacBook Air M4, a round-trip ticket from Yogyakarta to Hiroshima with two weeks of accommodation, a round-trip ticket from Yogyakarta to Jakarta along with hotel accommodation for the award ceremony, Marugame Udon meal vouchers, and a certificate of achievement.

Meanwhile, another 2022 student of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program UGM, Sheila Nursabila Sunarto, received the Honorable Mention Award and obtained a Huawei MatePad SE tablet, Marugame Udon meal vouchers, and a certificate of achievement.

On the same occasion, the UGM team supervisor, Wiastiningsih, Ph.D., also received an award as the Best Supervisor for her contribution in mentoring and assisting the students throughout the competition process.

The organizing committee stated that the increasing number of participants reflects the growing interest in Japanese language studies in Indonesia and expressed hope that the competition would continue to serve as a platform for appreciation and competency development among university students.

This achievement further demonstrates the commitment of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program UGM to providing quality education and encouraging students to compete at both national and international levels. Through collaboration with various institutions and active participation in global academic events, the program continues to strengthen its role in academic competency development and international networking.

[Japanese Literature, Barra Taura Nursaid]

The Archaeology Student Association (HIMA) of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada took part in a social service activity organized by the Perkumpulan Ahli Arkeologi Indonesia (IAAI) to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The activity involved planting 100 bamboo seedlings in the area surrounding Candi Morangan, specifically along the Gendol River embankment and Embung Tiban in Sindumartani Village, Ngemplak District, Sleman Regency. Held on April 19, 2026, the program began with an opening session and remarks, followed by documentation and the bamboo planting activity at the site. This activity was carried out through collaboration between IAAI Central, IAAI Regional Commission of Yogyakarta–Central Java, the Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Yogyakarta, Komunitas Kandang Kebo, Yayasan Hutan Biru, the Sindumartani Village administration, and HIMA. The involvement of HIMA in this activity reflects the active role of students in supporting environmental preservation and the protection of cultural heritage sites.

[Archeology, Jovinka Aldinova Kiranamurti]

Credit Photo : IAAI

Yogyakarta, April 25, 2026 – The Association of Arabic Literature Students of Universitas Gadjah Mada (IKMASA UGM) once again presents a student development program through the IKMASA Future Leaders 2026 event. With the theme Public Speaking Advancement & Leadership Decision Making, this program serves as a learning space for students to enhance their public communication skills while also strengthening their leadership capacity.

The event featured two experienced speakers in their respective fields. Nafesya Amrina Rasyada, S.S., Creative Officer at GIK UGM, delivered a session on public speaking, while Syifa Ulhusna Syahputri, S.S., Founder of Pelita Gembira, discussed leadership. Both speakers presented the material in an applied approach that was closely related to the current realities faced by students.

In the public speaking session, participants were guided to understand the fundamentals of effective communication, build self-confidence, and develop well-structured and persuasive ideas. Meanwhile, in the leadership session, participants were encouraged to explore the importance of decision-making, the ability to lead in various situations, and the development of adaptive leadership character. 

The event atmosphere was highly interactive. Participants did not only listen to the presentations but also actively engaged in discussions, asked questions, and shared their experiences. Overall, IKMASA Future Leaders 2026 ran smoothly and provided a positive impact on students’ soft skills development, particularly in communication and leadership.

This program is expected to serve as an initial foundation for Arabic Literature students at UGM to become better prepared in facing future challenges, both in academic and professional fields.

[Arabic Literature, Indana Zulfa Maulida]