Yogyakarta, 12/5/2025 –The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) proudly celebrates a remarkable international achievement. Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, S.S., M.Hum., DEA., who currently serves as UGM’s Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching, has been honored with the prestigious Inclusive Global Engagement Award from Universitas 21 (U21). This award recognizes her outstanding commitment to advancing inclusive and global education, particularly in the areas of literature, gender studies, and cultural discourse.

Universitas 21 is a global network comprising leading research-intensive universities across six continents. The Inclusive Global Engagement Award is part of the U21 Awards program, given to individuals or teams who have made significant contributions to promoting global inclusion in higher education. Recipients are selected based on their alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), as well as their exceptional international impact beyond their formal roles.

As a scholar, Prof. Wening is widely known for her dedication to gender equality and inclusive practices in academia. She has played a crucial role in building cultural and academic bridges between Indonesia and other countries, particularly France. Her expertise in literature, identity studies, and postcolonial theory has made her contributions impactful not only nationally but also on the global stage. She frequently serves as a voice for women academics from developing countries in international forums.

This award not only marks a personal milestone for Prof. Wening but also reflects UGM’s strong commitment to promoting diversity and equity at the global level. As one of Indonesia’s leading universities, UGM takes great pride in seeing its faculty recognized internationally for their work and values.

Congratulations to Prof. Wening Udasmoro for this outstanding achievement. May her recognition continue to inspire the academic community at FIB UGM to foster inclusive and just education for all.

[Humas FIB UGM, Muhammad Ebid El Hakim]

Yogyakarta, 16/4/25 — The Doctoral Promotion Open Examination of Dr. Ronidin was held on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. The session took place in the Multimedia Room, 2nd Floor of the Margono Building, at 10.00 AM (WIB). This academic agenda marked the culmination of his doctoral journey in the Humanities Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM.

In this open examination, Dr. Ronidin defended his dissertation entitled “The Expression of Minangkabau Tabedo in Novels by Minangkabau Authors Post-PRRI to the First Half of the New Order: A Genetic Structuralism Study.” The examination was supervised by Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum. as Promoter, and Dr. Novi Siti Kussuji Indrastuti, M.Hum. as Co-Promoter, and chaired by the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, M.Si.

This dissertation delves deeply into how the historical events of the PRRI (Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia) and the political transition during the early New Order period shaped cultural expressions and worldviews of Minangkabau authors through the medium of novels. Utilizing Lucien Goldmann’s genetic structuralism approach, reinforced by Lotman’s narrative theory, this research demonstrates how the Minangkabau tabedo worldview—characterized by difficult and dilemmatic social conditions—is reflected in literary texts.

The study examines five novels by Minangkabau authors: Dari Puncak Bukit Talang by Soewardi Idris, Panggilan Tanah Kelahiran by Dt. B. Nurdin Jacub, Saraswati Si Gadis dalam Sunyi by A.A. Navis, Warisan by Chairul Harun, and Bako by Darman Moenir. These novels depict the realities of Minangkabau society post-PRRI, amidst state hegemony and the shifting of traditional values, such as the role of the maternal uncle in the matrilineal system, the role of religion, and the relationship between the village and the diaspora.

Dr. Ronidin emphasizes that the Minangkabau tabedo phenomenon emerges as a representation of the tension between traditional values eroded by political realities and modernity introduced from external influences. In these novels, complex social realities are metaphorically portrayed through characters and narrative relationships, structurally reflecting the sociological conditions of Minangkabau society during that era.

This open examination not only affirms Dr. Ronidin’s intellectual capacity as an academic but also contributes significantly to Indonesian literary studies, particularly in understanding literature as a mirror of a society’s socio-political dynamics.

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

SDG 4: Quality education | SDGs 4: Education in developing | SDGs 4: Education | SDGs 4: Access to education | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDGs 8: Creativity and innovation | SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure | SDGs 9: Affordable access | SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions | SDGs 16: Accountable institutions | SDGs 16: Education | SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals | SDGs 17: Capacity building | SDGs 17: Fostering innovation

Just as additional information about the position of the Anthropology department of FIB UGM, in the middle of a collection of anthropology departments in the world, is now at level 51-100 (top 100). The question is: approximately whether the UGM Anthropology department is at the same level as anthropology departments at other universities? The answer is very surprising. UGM Department of Anthropology is on the same level as Anthropology departments at the following universities: Monash University (Australia), John Hopkins University, Northwestern University (USA), Radboud University in Nijmegen (Netherlands), City University of New York (CUNY) where Eric Wolf is a famous anthropology figure; a famous Anthropology figure, University of California San Diego, University of North Carolina (where James Peacock, who researched Muhammadiyah in Yogya), Oslo University, Bergen University (where Fredrik Barth a famous Norwegian anthropologist), University of Illinois (where Edward Bruner, who researched Batak people, and many more anthropology departments in other famous universities. Congratulations to our Anthropology friends!

Dean of Faculty of Arts UGM, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, said the achievement of Anthropology UGM was certainly very proud considering it is very rare for study programs in Indonesia to enter the top 100 in the world. “For Faculty of Cultural Sciences, this achievement becomes a trigger as well as learning so that other study programs can enter the same category,” Setiadi told reporters on Saturday (13/4). He acknowledged the success of Anthropology Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM in being ranked 51 QS World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject for 2024 is inseparable from the excellence of academic assessment, publications, number of citations, impact to the quality of graduates produced. According to him, the support provided by FIB UGM in the availability of research funds, opening up opportunities for cooperation, and facilitating the development of human resources for further studies greatly supports this study program to be more advanced and international. “Moreover, we at FIB already have a policy to determine lecturers who must graduate from doctoral degree and recruitment of new lecturers must also have doctoral degrees,” he said.

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 17: Partnerships For The Goals

The Sleman Regency Culture Office (Kundha Kabudayan) holds a workshop on “Memetri” magazine writing every year. This year, the workshop took place on Thursday, February 2, 2024, at Floating Resto Sleman. This workshop was attended by various groups, including Pasbuja (Javanese Literature and Culture Association), FGSM (Sleman Teachers Forum), and five students of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program class of 2023. They are Rafif Wicaksono, M. Rafi Nur Fauzy, Audrey Gizella Islamey, Rela Sazkia, and Zidna Nabila.

This year’s “Memetri” Magazine Writing Training Workshop was devoted to writing Javanese-language feature works. The goal was to train the participants to write features, increase creativity, and preserve the Javanese language. There were various materials presented by the speakers, such as formulas for writing features, methods of writing features, and how to choose references for features to be written. Wiwien Widyawati Rahayu, the lecturer of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, was also a resource person in this workshop. She delivered a method for finding feature sources.

Audrey Gizella expressed her opinion on the workshop. “Alhamdulillah, this workshop was very fun, not boring, and I gained new knowledge to write features.” Rafif Wicaksono added, “This activity is very useful for us, especially since our study program is also related to literature. Therefore, we can know the intricacies of good and correct feature writing,” he said.

The workshop ended with the practice of writing a feature on the topic of Floating Resto Sleman. Five writers with the best work will have the opportunity to become journalists for the Sleman Regency Cultural Office’s “Memetri” magazine. With this, it is hoped that there will be many people who like to write in Javanese, especially features, for “Memetri” magazine.

The organization of the “Memetri” Magazine Writing Training Workshop is a concrete effort to train the younger generation to be able to write features as well as participate in the preservation of Javanese Culture. Educational efforts and cooperation from various parties in preserving culture are following the goals of sustainable development, namely improving the quality of education (point 4) and partnerships to for the goals (point 17).

SGDs 4: Quality Education | SGDs 17: Partnerships For The Goals

On Friday, January 26, 2024, the Head of the Intercultural Department of FIB Gadjah Mada University, Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum. visited UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya as a resource person at the Debriefing of the Student Credit Transfer Program to Egypt. This activity was attended by the Vice-Rector for General Administration, Planning, and Finance of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya, Prof. Dr. Wiwik Setiyani, M.Ag., lecturer representatives, and students of the Arabic Literature Study Program from various institutions in Indonesia.

In her speech, Prof. Dr. Wiwik Setiyani said “The Credit Transfer Program has been initiated by Prof. Sangidu since the 2000s and is still ongoing today. This year, UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya dispatched 13 students to continue their master’s and doctoral studies in Egypt. Hopefully, this activity will continue and the kinship between UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya and Gadjah Mada University will be maintained”.

The event continued with the presentation of material by Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum. who had served as Attache of Education and Culture in Cairo, Egypt for the period 2009-2013. He explained that Indonesia has a long-standing relationship with the Middle East, especially Egypt. Therefore, universities in Egypt are open to Indonesian students who want to continue their studies there. This opportunity needs to be well utilized because it is very important to improve Arabic language skills, both oral and written.