Five students from the Arabic Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), recently completed an internship at the Sleman Regency Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The program spanned approximately three months, running from mid-September to the end of November 2025. This initiative provided students with the opportunity to hone both the hard and soft skills essential for their future careers. Their responsibilities were diverse, encompassing administrative management, archiving, public service, and event reporting.

To maximize their learning experience, the students were divided into two sections based on their specific areas of focus. Three students were assigned to the Madrasah Education Section, while the other two were placed in the Islamic Boarding School (Pondok Pesantren) Education Section.

This internship offered valuable insights into the operational mechanisms and procedures within government and educational institutions. Furthermore, it allowed the students to bridge the gap between their academic knowledge and real-world practical application.

Author : Sheila Adriani

The Japanese Language and Culture Student Association (HIMAJE), Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, through its culinary community Hiryou Aikai, held a group cooking session to celebrate the completion of the End-of-Semester Final Exams. The activity took place on 20 November 2025, from 13:00 to 15:00 WIB, at the Soegondo Building corridor area, and was designed in a relaxed, picnic-style setting as a refreshing moment of togetherness after the exam period.

Hiryou Aikai serves as a platform for HIMAJE members who have an interest and talent in cooking. Through this community, members can channel their culinary creativity while improving their cooking skills in a collaborative and enjoyable atmosphere. Activities like this also help strengthen connections among students through simple yet meaningful shared experiences.

In this session, participants cooked gyudon, a popular Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of warm rice topped with thinly sliced beef and onions simmered in a sweet and savory sauce. The cooking process was carried out together—from ingredient preparation to plating—creating a warm, lively, and enthusiastic atmosphere throughout the event.

This cooking activity not only provided a fun way to unwind after final exams but also encouraged students to learn through hands-on experience while fostering a supportive community environment. Through similar initiatives, Hiryou Aikai is expected to continue serving as a creative space that enriches students’ organizational experience and promotes positive activities that support well-being and personal development within HIMAJE UGM.

Author: Barra Taura Nursaid

The Japanese Language and Culture Program (BKJ), Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a public lecture titled “Concepts and Scope of Japanese Language and History” on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, from 08:00 to 12:00 WIB, at Soegondo Building, 7th Floor, Room 709. The event featured two speakers: Dr. Mulyadi, M.A., a lecturer in Japanese linguistics at BKJ UGM and an alumnus of Chiba University, and Meta Sekar Pujiastuti, M.A., Ph.D., a Japanese Literature lecturer at Hasanuddin University and an alumna of Ohio University and Keio University. With strong academic and research backgrounds, both speakers delivered presentations that enriched students’ understanding of Japanese language studies and historical perspectives.

The first session was delivered by Dr. Mulyadi through a research presentation titled “Politeness Strategies in Persuasive Discourse on Japanese Home Shopping TV Broadcasts: QVC Japan for Fashion Products.” He opened the session with an analogy drawn from Indonesian traditional markets to highlight the importance of linguistic comfort in communication. The discussion then focused on QVC Japan, a home shopping channel used as the main object of analysis. Using data collected from QVC broadcasts available on YouTube, he demonstrated how linguistic strategies—such as pragmatic particles (ne, yo), keigo (honorific speech), indirect invitations, and expressive intonation—are employed to create persuasive discourse while maintaining politeness. The presentation showed that marketing communication in Japan emphasizes social harmony (wa) without reducing the effectiveness of its message.

The second session was delivered by Meta Sekar Pujiastuti through a talk titled “Revisiting the History of Indonesia–Japan Relations: Nusantara Identity in a Global Context.” Her discussion highlighted that Indonesia–Japan relations extend far beyond the 1942–1945 period. She presented historical findings that trace long-standing interactions between the two regions, including the appearance of batik motifs in seventeenth-century ukiyo-e artifacts, VOC activities in Dejima, and records of slavery involving people from Bugis and Batavia. She also shared visual materials and archaeological evidence related to the lives of Nusantara groups in Dejima, including culinary activities and cultural markers such as lurik fabric and udeng headwear. These examples underscored the strong contributions of Nusantara culture within the historical trajectory of Japan, although such contributions often remain overlooked in dominant historical narratives.

Overall, the public lecture offered a comprehensive view of the relationship between language and history as an essential foundation for understanding Japan. The insights gained from the sessions are expected to strengthen students’ analytical skills and encourage a more meaningful and high-quality learning process within the Japanese Language and Culture Program at UGM.

Author: Barra Taura Nursaid

Yogyakarta, 19 December 2025 — The Korean Language and Culture Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada held the K-Speech UGM 2025 Oratory Competition as a Final Semester Project for the Speaking and Listening III course, taught by Alfiana Amrin Rosyadi, S.S., M.A. The event took place from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. WIB at Poerbatjaraka Auditorium, 3rd Floor, and was attended by the President of the K-Speech Eloquence Association of Indonesia, Mr. Woo Yong Taek.

A total of 22 teams, each consisting of two to three students, along with one individual participant, took part in the competition. The oratory topics were grouped into three main themes: bullying in universities, world peace, and cultural exchange between Korea and Indonesia.

Prior to the competition, students participated in one oratory technique class and two consultation sessions with the course instructor. Unlike conventional speeches, oratory requires a strong voice and clear articulation. Beyond technical skills, the purpose of oratory is not merely to convey a narrative, but to encourage audiences to reflect on surrounding social issues and to propose meaningful solutions.

Following the performances of all 23 participants, Mr. Woo Yong Taek expressed his appreciation for the students. He praised their Korean pronunciation, noting that it closely resembled that of native Korean orators. He also selected four best teams and awarded each team a scholarship of IDR 2,500,000. The selected teams were:

• Ardhanika Brahmadhinata, Nasywa Amelia, Theresia Chindyawati
• Allysa Fadhia Pramudita, Brigitta Angela Limanto, Paula Maureen Christella
• Irene Xaviera Lovryna, Vivian Valerie Boru Tambunan, Rosalia Pramoda Wardhani
• Alfinda Fidela Daniswara Azarine, Febriana Valentia Andhiera Putri, Jovita Oryza Ananda Naita

The course instructor, Alfiana Amrin Rosyadi, S.S., M.A., expressed her hope that the competition and the presence of the K-Speech Eloquence Association of Indonesia would serve as a source of motivation for UGM students to continue developing their communication skills, social awareness, and readiness to participate in the annual K-Speech competition in the coming year.

Written : Alfiana Amrin R
Edited : Eunike Serafia N.S

The Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), will hold a combined Final Semester Exam (FSE) through a joint proposal seminar on December 15–17, 2025. The event will be held in the Multimedia Room on the 2nd floor of the Margono Building, FIB UGM, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

This joint proposal seminar is the final exam for three courses, namely Philology Seminar, Linguistics Seminar, and Literature. Through this activity, students present their thesis proposals and explain the progress of their research.

During the event, lecturers from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program are present as examiners and respondents. The lecturers provide comments, input, and constructive suggestions regarding the substance of the research, methodology, and direction of the students’ undergraduate thesis development.

This joint proposal seminar activity not only serves as a final semester academic evaluation, but also becomes a forum for scientific discussion between students and lecturers. Through this forum, students are expected to obtain comprehensive feedback to improve their thesis research.

This event is expected to help students finalize their thesis planning and implementation, while also improving the quality of research in the fields of Javanese language, literature, and culture.

Author : Haryo Untoro
Editor : Haryo Untoro