Yogyakarta, July 6, 2026 — Writer and journalist Linda Christanty shared her experience crafting human-interest stories based on reporting during the discussion “From Reporting to Literary Works,” held in the Multimedia Room, Margono, 2nd Floor, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, on Monday (July 6, 2026). This discussion was organized by the Indonesian Language and Literature Program and Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia (KPG), in collaboration with Bentara Budaya and ELTI Jogja. The event, attended by more than 50 people—including students, academics, and community members—was moderated by Nafiis Anshaari, and Prof. Dr. Aprinus Salam contributed to the discussion by analyzing a short story by Linda Christanty titled “A Dog Dies in Bala Murghab.”

Linda is widely known for her renowned journalistic works, and on this occasion, she also expressed her concerns regarding publishers’ interest in her work. “Even though no one has shown interest yet, it will still be published so that the new generation can read and discover other short stories,” said Linda, emphasizing her commitment to continue bringing literary works to the public even though the challenges of publishing are not always easy.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Aprinus Salam also shared a story about his encounter with Linda’s works. “I’ve known her for a long time; it all started with Linda’s short stories that appeared in *Kompas*, and we followed and read them back then,” he said, describing how Linda’s writings in the mass media had become required reading among academics since their very inception.

The discussion also touched on how literary works can emerge from journalism, citing Seno Gumira’s idea in “When Journalism Is Silenced, Literature Must Speak” as one of the references. From there, the forum delved deeper into the connection between the worlds of journalism and literature—how reporting and facts can be transformed into narratives, while also serving as a bridge for a new generation to discover a variety of short stories that have not yet received much exposure. The discussion concluded with the presentation of commemorative gifts to the two speakers, followed by the awarding of Gramedia gift cards—provided by Bentara Budaya—to the two speakers and five lucky audience members who asked questions, and finally, a group photo.

This spirit aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 on quality education—which promotes literacy access for the younger generation—and SDG 17 on partnerships to achieve common goals, where collaboration involving Bentara Budaya, KPG, ELTI Jogja, academics, and even the discussion participants—working in synergy—is key to expanding access to literacy and ensuring the continued presence of literary works within the community.

Author: G Nathania Yolanda & Lina (沈孟樺)

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences Gadjah Mada University (FIB UGM) hosted an educational visit from SMA 1 Banyudono on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at the Poerbatjaraka Building Auditorium, FIB UGM. The event was attended by 83 students, accompanied by their teachers, as part of an effort to introduce students to the world of higher education.

The visit aimed to provide insight into higher education, particularly the various degree programs available at FIB UGM. During the presentation session, participants received information about the faculty’s profile, academic strengths, the new student admission process, and career prospects for graduates of the various degree programs offered by FIB.

In addition to learning about the degree programs, the students also gained an overview of the various learning support facilities available on the FIB UGM campus. These facilities include lecture halls, a library, language labs, and various resources that support the development of students’ competencies in both academic and non-academic fields.

This event also introduced student life at FIB UGM through presentations on student organizations, Badan Semi Otonom (BSO), and various programs that students can participate in. Through these sessions, participants were encouraged to understand the importance of developing their interests, talents, and leadership skills while pursuing higher education.

Through this visit, it is hoped that students from SMA 1 Banyudono will gain a more comprehensive understanding of the college environment and the opportunities for personal development available at FIB UGM. This event also serves as a means to strengthen the relationship between the FIB UGM, and high schools in support of improving access to information on higher education for the younger generation.

[Humas FIB UGM, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa] 

The Tourism Study Program of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), welcomed a visit from the Tourism Study Program of Universitas Pignatelli Triputra (UPITRA) as part of a benchmarking study. The visit was attended by representatives of the Tourism Study Program lecturers, educational staff, Dean of Social Sciences and Humanities at UPITRA, and several UPITRA lecturers.

During the visit, the first session focused on an introduction to the Tourism Study Program at FIB UGM, presented by Popi Irawan, S.S., M.Sc., Ph.D., a lecturer in the Tourism Study Program of FIB UGM. Following the presentation, the UPITRA delegation discussed its curriculum development, particularly in relation to tourism education based on the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) approach.

UPITRA chose the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM as the destination for this benchmarking visit because of the Tourism Study Program’s excellent accreditation status. Through this study visit, UPITRA hopes to achieve a similar level of accreditation and enhance the quality of its graduates so that they can be better prepared for and absorbed into the tourism industry.

This activity is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting partnerships to achieve common objectives, in accordance with the Faculty of Cultural Sciences’ commitment to supporting sustainable development.

[Public Relation of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

The American Studies Master’s Program proudly congratulates three students, Evelyn Sekar Rossary, Glory Emanuelle, and Mbulan Liyu Andadari for successfully presenting their research poster at the 17th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences (ACSS2026) held in Tokyo, Japan, from May 09-13, 2026.

Organized by IAFOR (the International Academic Forum), ACSS2026 is one of their international conferences that brings together students, researchers, and educators from various institutions in the world to exchange ideas about intercultural diversity. This year’s conference received more than 800 presentation submissions from 77 countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, India, Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore.

Among the accepted presentations was the research poster by Evelyn, Glory, and Liyu entitled “Negotiating Gender and Embodiment: Mpreg as a Queer Narrative Seen Through a Feminist Lens.” This research shows the representations of male pregnancy (mpreg) in Indonesian X communities and examines how these narratives are interpreted through feminist perspectives. The research identifies diverse responses to mpreg narratives, from feminist resistance to traditional gender expectations to their consumption as forms of entertainment and creative expression within online communities. 

Their presentation attracted a lot of interest among conference participants. Many attendees were curious about the topic and appreciated the opportunity to learn about an issue that is still rarely discussed openly in Indonesia. They received thoughtful questions, constructive feedback, and positive responses from fellow researchers.

For Evelyn, Glory, and Liyu, attending ACSS2026 was more than just an opportunity to present their research. The conference provided valuable opportunities to engage with scholars from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, exchange ideas, and establish international academic networks. They enjoyed learning and discussing topics related to gender, identity, and representation with different perspectives and different cultural views as the participants came from different countries.

Author: American Studies Program

The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held a public lecture entitled “The Strategic Profession of Sworn Translators.” The event featured Anisa Syifa Amalia, S.S., M.I.S., a sworn translator for Indonesian–Korean and Korean–Indonesian language pairs, as well as an alumna of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Class of 2011. The lecture was open to all students of the study program and was mandatory for students enrolled in the Korean Comprehensive Language 2 course.

During the session, the speaker shared her professional journey as a translator and explained the vital role of sworn translators in supporting legal affairs, business activities, and international cooperation. Students were introduced to various aspects of the profession, including the code of ethics, competency standards, certification process, as well as the challenges and career opportunities emerging in the era of technological advancement and artificial intelligence (AI). The speaker also emphasized the importance of maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and accountability in translation work, particularly when dealing with documents that carry legal implications.

Through this public lecture, students gained broader insights into the profession of sworn translators as a promising career path for graduates of Korean Language and Culture Studies. The event also provided a practical understanding of the competencies that students need to develop early on in order to remain competitive and contribute effectively in professional environments.

It is hoped that this activity will encourage students to continuously enhance their language proficiency, strengthen their professionalism, and prepare themselves for various career opportunities that require linguistic expertise and intercultural communication skills in the future.

Author: Eunike Serafia N.S