Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) reaffirmed its commitment to international academic collaboration and knowledge exchange through its active participation in the CHSS 2026 Conference held at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Pakistan, from 23 to 27 September 2026. The conference brought together scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from across Asia and beyond to discuss contemporary challenges and opportunities facing societies in the region.

UGM was represented by Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, Dr. Aprillia Firmonasari, and Dr. Merry Andriani from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, who participated in a range of academic and networking activities throughout the conference. Their involvement contributed to scholarly discussions on issues affecting Asia and the Global South while strengthening partnerships between UGM and international institutions. Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro also serves as the Hub Leader for UGM in the academic cooperative project among Association for Asian Studies (AAS), Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Underrepresented Scholars of Asia (CHSS), and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM).

The conference featured an extensive program consisting of pre-conference workshops, panel presentations, roundtable discussions, exhibitions, cultural activities, and networking forums. Participants explored a wide range of topics, including migration, education, governance, gender studies, climate resilience, public health, cultural heritage, and regional cooperation. Through these sessions, attendees exchanged perspectives and research findings while identifying opportunities for future collaborative initiatives.

In addition to academic presentations, the conference emphasized intercultural engagement through exhibitions and cultural showcases that highlighted the diversity and dynamism of Asian societies. These activities provided participants with valuable opportunities to connect across disciplines and national boundaries. UGM’s participation in the conference reflects the university’s ongoing efforts to promote internationally engaged scholarship and foster meaningful partnerships that address global and regional challenges. The event also served as a platform for expanding academic networks and exploring collaborative research opportunities with institutions across Asia and beyond.

Building on the momentum generated in Lahore, Universitas Gadjah Mada will host a similar international workshop in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 19 to 23 October 2026. The workshop is designed as an inclusive academic forum that welcomes participants from diverse disciplinary, institutional, cultural, and geographical backgrounds. In line with UGM’s commitment to social equality and inclusivity, the program will provide a platform for scholars, researchers, practitioners, and community representatives to engage in dialogue, share perspectives, and exchange knowledge on issues of societal relevance. Through this initiative, UGM seeks to foster an academic environment that values diversity, promotes equitable participation, and encourages cross-cultural and interdisciplinary engagement.

Through its participation in CHSS 2026 and its forthcoming role as host, UGM continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing impactful research, fostering international dialogue, and contributing to the development of inclusive and sustainable solutions to contemporary global challenges. For Universitas Gadjah Mada, these engagements represent not only opportunities for scholarly exchange but also strategic efforts to strengthen the university’s position as a leading institution in facilitating regional and global academic collaboration.

BANGI, SELANGOR — Three Master’s students in Literary Studies from the Department of Language and Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)—Priyo Joko Purnomo, M. Aufal Ghufron, and Maulana Nurul Izza—participated as paper presenters at the 4th International Seminar on Malay Manuscripts (Seminar Antarabangsa Manuskrip Melayu/SEMALU IV) 2026.

At the international seminar, organized by the Malay World Manuscript Research Centre (Pusat Penyelidikan Manuskrip Alam Melayu/PPMAM), Institute of the Malay World and Civilization (Institut Alam dan Tamadun Melayu/ATMA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), the three researchers presented a study entitled “Fortune-Telling: The Dynamics of the Abajadun Numerical System in Malay and Javanese Manuscript Traditions.”

SEMALU IV 2026 was held at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, on July 21, 2026. The seminar carried the theme “Preserving the Heritage of Malay World Manuscripts through Research and Innovation” and brought together scholars, researchers, academics, and the general public to discuss the richness of Malay manuscripts and the intellectual heritage of the Malay world.

Through their research, the three UGM students examined the dynamics of the adaptation of the Abajadun numerical system within Malay and Javanese manuscript traditions, particularly in the manuscripts Syair Raksi Macam Baru (SRMB) and Kitab Mujarrabat Pegon (KMP). The study highlights how a numerical system that assigns numerical values to Arabic letters underwent processes of adaptation, negotiation, and localization as it interacted with Malay and Javanese cultures.

The study demonstrates that Abajadun is not merely a system of calculation or fortune-telling. Within the manuscript traditions of the Nusantara, the system developed into a cosmological technology that connects human beings, time, nature, and God within a network of meaning. Through calculations involving letters, names, days, and various other elements, communities sought to understand future possibilities and determine appropriate courses of action.

In the Malay tradition, the study of Syair Raksi Macam Baru reveals the use of the Abajadun system to determine compatibility between couples through the calculation of names. Meanwhile, Kitab Mujarrabat Pegon demonstrates the intersection between the Abajadun numerical system and the Javanese tradition of petungan, including the use of the concept of neptu—the numerical values associated with days and market days—for various purposes, such as determining auspicious times for trading, medical treatment, and marriage.

The study also emphasizes that Malay and Javanese manuscripts serve as spaces for the production and negotiation of knowledge. Numbers, letters, names, days, and fate are woven together into a cultural mechanism that helps communities understand uncertainty and organize various decisions in social life.

Drawing on Stuart Hall’s perspective on cultural representation and E.J. Aarseth’s concept of ergodic literature, the study views Abajadun as a sign system whose meanings are not always directly available in the text. Readers must perform a series of operations, beginning with converting letters into numbers, calculating particular values, and interpreting the results. In this process, readers play an active role in discovering the meanings contained within the manuscripts.

“Abajadun serves as a navigator that guides readers from letters to numbers, from numbers to interpretation, and from interpretation to social decisions,” reflects the central idea proposed in the study.

The participation of UGM Master’s students in SEMALU IV 2026 forms part of broader efforts to expand research on Nusantara manuscripts while demonstrating the relevance of traditional knowledge heritage within contemporary academic discourse. The study of Abajadun also shows that Malay and Javanese manuscripts reflect a creative encounter between Islamic traditions and local cosmologies, giving rise to distinctive knowledge systems in the Nusantara.

Through the SEMALU IV forum, the study further strengthens efforts to preserve the manuscript heritage of the Malay world through research and innovation. Manuscripts are not merely viewed as historical relics, but also as sources of knowledge that can continue to be studied, interpreted, and introduced to new generations.

Author: Khotibul Umam

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]