Undoukai 2026 was held as a sports competition for students of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (BKJ UGM). Promoting the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship, the event brought together representatives from each cohort in a series of competitions held on September 5–6, 2026.

Various sports and games enlivened Undoukai 2026, including badminton, gobak sodor, Mobile Legends, and e-Football. The competitions took place at several locations around Yogyakarta and within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM.

More than just an opportunity to showcase skills and compete for victory, Undoukai 2026 provided students with a chance to strengthen camaraderie, foster healthy competitiveness, and create memorable experiences across different cohorts.

Author: SAHLA NAURA NOOR SABRINA

Yogyakarta — Alumni of the Master’s Program in Linguistics at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have shared a number of aspirations for developing the alumni network so that it can play a more active role in supporting academic activities, professional development, and social engagement.

The aspirations were gathered through the “Linguistics Alumni Survey,” distributed via Google Forms through the UGM Linguistics Master’s Program Cross-Cohort WhatsApp Group from 12 to 20 September 2026.

In general, alumni expressed their appreciation for the relationships and connections that have been maintained among graduates, including through the WhatsApp group and the Kalingga student and alumni community. At the same time, they expressed hopes that these relationships would extend beyond social ties and develop into a network that can support alumni, students, the university, and the wider community.

The feedback covered a range of areas, from strengthening alumni governance and data management to developing career networks, academic and research activities, the use of technology, and social initiatives. Broadly, the aspirations can be grouped into six key areas for development.

1. Strengthening Alumni Governance and Data Management

Alumni proposed regular data collection covering professional backgrounds, areas of expertise, locations, and the distribution of alumni, including those living overseas. Such data is expected to support communication and collaboration among alumni based on their respective expertise and professional backgrounds.

Other suggestions included strengthening communication infrastructure through an official website, appointing representatives for each cohort, and establishing communication guidelines for alumni groups. Alumni also proposed developing a shared identity through alumni uniforms or corsa, establishing an alumni association name, and forming a national association of linguistics scholars and alumni.

2. Developing Career Networks and Mentoring

The alumni network is expected to serve as a platform for sharing information on job opportunities, particularly for lecturers and researchers, as well as scholarships and further study opportunities. Alumni also proposed Alumni Sharing sessions and mentoring programs to facilitate the exchange of professional experiences and introduce current students to a range of career opportunities.

3. Strengthening Academic Engagement and Research Collaboration

Alumni proposed regular online academic discussions, held monthly or every three months, which could be organized based on geographic areas or specific fields of linguistics. These forums are expected to provide opportunities for alumni to remain engaged with developments in the field and exchange ideas.

Other proposals include collaborative academic writing, research consortia and groups, the publication of the Jurnal Kajian Linguistik, as well as national and international webinars, workshops, and linguistics conferences.

4. Responding to Developments in Digital Linguistics and AI

Alumni proposed strengthening learning opportunities related to Digital Linguistics, artificial intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and large-scale text data analysis, including through the provision of relevant elective courses. These efforts are expected to broaden students’ and graduates’ competencies in responding to technological developments in language studies.

5. Expanding Alumni Access and Engagement

Online activities are considered important to enable alumni living outside Yogyakarta and overseas to continue participating. At the same time, alumni proposed annual gatherings or reunions, which could be held alongside linguistics conferences or community activities such as syawalan and buka bersama.

Alumni also emphasized the importance of inclusive participation, with the network open to all graduates regardless of their previous involvement in student organizations.

6. Encouraging Community Engagement through Social Initiatives

Alumni proposed that the network support community service and social initiatives through knowledge-based programs that benefit the wider community. Graduates, particularly scholarship recipients, are also expected to have opportunities to contribute to society through their knowledge, experience, and professional competencies.

The six areas identified—governance and data management, careers and mentoring, academic engagement and research, digital linguistics and AI, alumni access and engagement, and community service—can serve as considerations for the future development of alumni activities and organizational structures.

The survey findings provide a basis for understanding alumni aspirations and identifying activities that can be developed collaboratively. Through a well-maintained alumni network, connections among the university, students, alumni, and the wider community can continue to be strengthened.

The Cultural Anthropology Student Association (KEMANT) organized the “Antro
Jalan-Jalan” event as part of the lead-up to the Ethnophotography Exhibition. This event is a
joint initiative of the Media and Information (Medinfo) and Interests and Talents (Mikat)
divisions. “Antro Jalan-Jalan” is specifically designed for undergraduate and graduate students
to explore the lives and cultural dynamics of local communities firsthand in the Kali Code area
of Yogyakarta. Students are invited to document social realities and create in-depth visual
narratives centered on the theme of “Third Place.” In anthropology, the concept of “Third
Place” refers to open social spaces that exist between the home and the workplace or school.
The Kali Code area was chosen because, amidst the dense residential neighborhoods, the local
community actively creates various social spaces where they gather and build community.
Examples of these social spaces include coffee shops, angkringan (street food stalls), parks,
and places of worship.

The Antro Jalan-Jalan series will be held in three phases from mid-September through
early October 2026. The first phase began on September 19, 2026, with an opening session and
a presentation on ethnophotography by the course instructor and local figures, followed by
independent field exploration and a brief discussion. The second session took place on
September 26, 2026, focusing on in-depth visual exploration in Kali Code and refining the
themes for the participants’ works. This entire exploration series officially concluded on
October 3, 2026, with an intensive discussion session with the instructor and technical
refinement of photography techniques. During the photography process, participants were
given the freedom to use a variety of photographic devices, ranging from digital cameras and
film cameras to cell phone cameras. After all “Antro Jalan-Jalan” sessions were completed, the
curatorial and artistic teams proceeded to the work alignment phase in October 2026.

The culmination of the entire program is the Ethnophotography Exhibition, scheduled
for November 2026. This exhibition features a unique street exhibition concept that utilizes the
alleys, streets, and lanes around Kali Code as exhibition spaces. In addition to the visual
exhibition, the culminating event will feature a discussion session with faculty advisors, guest
speakers, and the artists themselves to explore the meaning behind the ethnophotographic
works on display. The series of events will conclude with a photo auction aimed at reducing
exhibition waste, with the majority of the proceeds distributed as honoraria to the participating
artists.

Author: Aisyah Alya Muztahid

YOGYAKARTA – An alumnus of Arabic Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Ahmad Fauzi Qosim, S.S., M.A., delivered a Entrepreneurship lecture titled “Social Entrepreneurship Opportunities” attended by students of the Arabic Literature Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada. In the lecture, he explained that entrepreneurship is essentially not merely an economic activity aimed at pursuing financial profit, but rather a strategic path to build an independent, empowered society capable of solving various socio-economic issues sustainably. According to him, the philosophical meaning of the word wira signifies independence, which should serve as the primary foundation for every business actor so that the community does not remain continuously dependent on government assistance schemes.

To implement this philosophy, Ahmad Fauzi introduced the PROPHETIC – Socio-Technopreneurship concept, a business model that integrates business practice and social welfare based on the utilization of modern technology while upholding the values and business system exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Through this approach, business activities are no longer focused solely on personal gain or worldly profit, but are also directed toward having spiritual value, blessings, and delivering a tangible positive social impact on the surrounding environment. This idea originated from Ahmad Fauzi’s personal concern upon completing his university studies, a post-graduation anxiety increasingly felt by many students today, given data showing that approximately 500,000 university graduates in Indonesia have not been absorbed into the workforce over the last five years.

The challenge of job availability becomes even more complex when confronted with the rate of global population growth and massive shifts in demographic structures. Citing the UN World Population Prospects report, the growing global population also triggers multidimensional crises across various sectors, ranging from food limitations, energy crises, healthcare service crises, and housing crises, to access to education and employment. In Indonesia, this condition is further exacerbated by a relatively high rate of urbanization, where statistical data shows a sharp increase in the urban population proportion from just 20% in 1980 to 53% in 2010, while the rural population declined from 80% to 47%. This demographic shift has had a significant impact on the emergence of various social and economic crises in both urban and rural areas.

The impact of these public economic problems has even reached remote areas, reflected in the proliferation of destructive habits such as online gambling and illegal online lending (pinjol). The prevalence of these phenomena indicates that public economic problems are not only triggered by a lack of daily income, but are also closely tied to low financial literacy and an inability to manage needs and make wise financial decisions. Therefore, the presence of professionally managed, transparent, and sustainable social enterprises serves as a strategic solution to empower communities through optimizing various funding instruments such as grant funds, waqf funds, and independent business profits thereby realizing long-term economic independence rather than merely offering instant fixes.

Author : Ahmad Ghifari