Yogyakarta, April 24, 2026 – The Department of Anthropology at the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Faculty of Cultural Sciences participated in an international workshop titled “Contesting Knowledge Formations: Towards a Transnational Research and Supervision Network.” Held in a hybrid format by the University of Münster, Germany, on Friday (24/4), the forum brought together researchers from Europe, Asia, and Africa. The primary agenda was to transform conventional doctoral supervision models into a more equitable, collaborative, and inclusive transnational network.

The event was officially opened by Professor Dr. Dorothea Schulz, Head of the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Münster, alongside Professor Dr. Thomas Stodulka, the program’s organizer and initiator. In their opening remarks, they emphasized the workshop’s vision of building a fair supervision network for doctoral students worldwide, transcending geographical and institutional boundaries. This two-day workshop serves as the inaugural activity for the network, funded by the DFG through the Cluster of Excellence scheme. The initiative involves the University of Münster alongside academics from Hekima University College (Dr. Norbert Litoing), Universitas Gadjah Mada (Professor Pujo Semedi and Dr. Elan Lazuardi), the National University of Singapore (Professor Kelvin Low and Dr. Noorman Abdullah), and the University of Birmingham (Professor Insa Nolte).

Immediately following the opening, the agenda proceeded to a PhD Roundtable session which ran until 1:00 PM Central European Summer Time (CEST). During this session, doctoral candidates from four universities presented their research projects to international moderators Dr. Victoria Kumala Sakti and Dr. Souleymane Diallo, both from the University of Münster. The discussion focused not only on scientific findings but also explored methodological challenges and aspirations for more effective cross-border supervision models.

Two doctoral students from the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Batari Oja and Mochammad Najmul Afad, presented their research at the forum. Oja presented her study, “Reproducing Chinese-Indonesian Cultural Identity in Klenteng,” while Afad shared his research titled “The Sinking of the North Coast of Java: A Historical Ethnography of the Relationship between Society and the Sea, 1800s–2020s.” Both students received constructive feedback from academics across the five participating universities to strengthen their dissertations.

As the evening session commenced in Indonesia, the discussions deepened. Professor Semedi led a group discussion inviting participants to formulate practical frameworks for international supervision. This session explored solutions for challenges related to distance, institutional disparities, and the equitable distribution of access to global research resources.

The session also identified several strategic ideas for developing a sustainable joint supervision network. Participants agreed that South–South–North collaborations require support structures that are not only technically robust but also sensitive to the local contexts of individual researchers.

The first day of the workshop concluded at 6:00 PM CEST with a reflection session led by Professor Nolte. She also outlined the strategic agenda for all network members moving forward. This meeting is expected to serve as a solid foundation for creating a transnational research ecosystem that is responsive to the dynamic knowledge challenges of the 21st century.

This workshop marks a significant step in strengthening the capacity of young Indonesian researchers on a global stage. The active involvement of UGM researchers is expected to bolster the position of Indonesian academics in the discourse on decolonizing knowledge and building equitable scientific partnerships between the Global South and the Global North.

Author: Mochamad Najmul Afad
Photos: Mochamad Najmul Afad & Pujo Semedi
Editor: Candra Solihin

Yogyakarta, April 18, 2026 – Amid the demands of academic life, IKMASA, through its Department of Interests and Talents under the Dur Mufassal Cabinet, organized Fun-Minton as a refreshing activity for students. Held at the Sendowo Sports Hall from 3:30 to 6:00 PM, the event created a warm atmosphere filled with enthusiasm and a strong sense of togetherness.

Fun-Minton was open to all Arabic Literature students, regardless of their badminton skills, including those who simply wished to participate in a casual and enjoyable manner. Participants were welcome to attend directly at the venue in sports attire. Beyond promoting physical activity, this event also served as a platform to strengthen relationships among members and to foster a supportive environment within the Arabic Literature community. The interactions that took place throughout the event contributed to a positive and enjoyable atmosphere.

Through Fun-Minton, students are encouraged to maintain a healthy balance between academic and non-academic activities while also reinforcing a sense of solidarity. This initiative reflects IKMASA’s commitment to providing a productive, healthy, and collaborative space for all its members.

Author: Indana Zulfa Maulida

On April 2, 2026, several undergraduate and master’s graduates of Archaeology from Universitas Gadjah Mada were officially inaugurated by the Minister of Culture as government officials in the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. This event shows the real contribution of archaeology graduates in the professional world, especially in managing, preserving, and developing cultural heritage. The following are the names of the alumni and their positions:

1. Pahadi, S.S. as Head of Section for Follow-up of Supervision Reports
2. Anggoro Cahyadi, S.S., M.Kesos. as Head of Administration Subdivision, Directorate of Cultural Heritage
3. Sukronedi, S.Si., M.A. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of North Sumatra
4. Yanto H. M. Manurung, S.S., M.Hum. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Jambi
5. Sri Sugiharta, S.S., M.P.A. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of South Sumatra
6. Ni Ketut Wardani P. Dewi, M.Hum. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Bangka Belitung
7. Kuswanto, S.S., M.Hum. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Lampung
8. Swedhi Hananta, S.S., M.A. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Banten
9. Desse Yussubrasta, S.S., M.Hum. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Jakarta
10. Riris Purbasari, S.S., M.A. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Yogyakarta
11. Endah Budi Heryani, S.S., M.M. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of East Java
12. Iwan Setiawan Bimas, S.S., M.M. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Central Kalimantan
13. Manggar Sari Ayuati, S.S., M.A. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of South Kalimantan
14. Ahmad Hariri, S.S., M.Hum. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of West Nusa Tenggara
15. Sinatrio Danuhadiningrat, S.S. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of South Sulawesi
    Gatut Eko Nurcahyo, S.S. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Southeast Sulawesi
16. Dody Wiranto, S.S., M.Hum. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Maluku
17. Winarto, S.S. as Head of Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Southwest Papua
18. Azwar Sutihat, S.S., M.Hum. as Head of General Affairs Subdivision, Cultural Heritage
19. Preservation Office of Riau Islands
20. Agus Sudaryadi, S.S. as Head of General Affairs Subdivision, Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Jambi
21. Marlia Yuliyanti Rosyidah, S.Si., M.A. as Head of General Affairs Subdivision, Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Central Java
22. Romi Hidayat, S.S. as Head of General Affairs Subdivision, Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of Jakarta
23. Iswadi A. M., S.S., M.Hum. as Head of General Affairs Subdivision, Cultural Heritage Preservation Office of South Sulawesi

Through this inauguration, the alumni are expected to apply the knowledge and skills they gained during their studies in making policies within the Ministry. This is important to support better and more sustainable cultural management.

Author: Jovinka Aldinova Kiranamurti

Amidst the warm and heartfelt ambience of Eid Al-Fitr, the English Department program conducted a Syawalan event at Gadjah Mada University Club (UC), Universitas Gadjah Mada. It was held on Thursday, 31st March 2026, as an annual occasion for lecturers and former lecturers to seek and offer forgiveness while also fostering the bond within the English Department family. Not just Syawalan, this year’s event is particularly special because it also marks the farewell of a recently retired lecturer, Dra. Rio Rini Diah Moehkardi, M.A.

The attendance at this event includes lecturers and retired lecturers from the English Department, along with their families. Throughout the event, they get to talk and reminisce about the memories they shared as part of the English Department family. The Eid atmosphere remains lively, with many hands greeting each other warmly.

The event began with a greeting and speech from Dr. Adi Sutrisno, M.A., a former Head of the English Department. He proceeds to give a word on the ups and downs the English Department has faced due to the lecturers that must leave—whether to study abroad or retire—one by one. Thankfully, owing to the contribution and hard work from the remaining lecturers, they managed to bounce back and maintain the major’s credibility.

He also pays tribute to Dra. Rio Rini Diah Moehkardi, M.A., for her remarkable contribution to the English Department. In this opportunity, Mr. Adi, as a representative of the English Department, handed over a token of appreciation for Mrs. Rio: a memory book filled with words and thoughts from lecturers and students of the English Department. Mrs. Rio expresses her gratitude upon receiving the gift, thanking her fellow lecturers who accompany and enrich her experience in the English Department.

Congrats on your retirement, Mrs. Rio! Thank you for being a part of the English Department family. We hope you will stay healthy, happy, and lively as ever.

Author: Gulma Zahra Auradatu

Yogyakarta, April 19, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) held the first session of the Professorial Forum titled “Humanities for Governance and Social Transformation: Language, Literature, and Policy Politics.” This academic forum reviewed several proposals and research plans from academics that addressed various strategic issues, ranging from the dynamics of political legitimacy and customary land conflicts to the urgency of forensic linguistics in law enforcement.

The Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, and Alumni at FIB UGM, Dr. Mimi Savitri, emphasized that the theme of this forum aligned with the faculty’s research roadmap. She encouraged researchers to formulate their proposed studies into strategic recommendations for future policymakers.

“The goal is to determine how existing research can be recommended as policy briefs. We hope FIB can make a significant contribution,” said Dr. Savitri during her opening remarks.

She added that the forum intentionally invited doctoral students to motivate them and provide a concrete overview of how to draft a dissertation research proposal.

Moving into the presentation session, Professor Bambang Hudayana presented a research proposal titled “Prophecies on the Legitimacy and Delegitimacy of Indonesian Presidents.” He planned a study to examine how the leadership of Presidents Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto intersects with narratives of political prophecies or divine mandates (wangsit) on social media. Through this proposal, Professor Hudayana intends to combine the concept of Javanese power cosmology with networked religion theory. This research plan will explore how political prophecies express the spiritual hopes of the public while also serving as a symbolic instrument to either legitimize or delegitimize the power of leaders.

In the second presentation, Dr. Nur Aini Setiawati reviewed a draft book titled “Customary Land in Indonesia: Policy Politics and the Dynamics of Agrarian Conflict in the 20th Century.” This book draft seeks to bridge normative legal studies and social movement studies regarding agrarian conflicts. Dr. Setiawati explained that agrarian disputes are essentially a clash of two perspectives. There is the communal understanding of society, which views land as a generational living space, colliding with the state’s view of land as a legal and administrative object. Therefore, this book draft will uncover the history of state policy formation and its social consequences at the local level, which frequently trigger the loss of community access to customary territories.

The third presentation featured a linguistic perspective from Professor I Dewa Putu Wijana through a research plan titled “Linguistics and Forensic Linguistics.” He designed this study to respond to social interactions in the digital era, which often give rise to disharmony and verbal abuse. The research plan emphasizes that as public legal awareness increases, forensic linguistics will take on a central role. This applied linguistics approach is projected to resolve various cases of language-based crimes by utilizing branches of linguistics such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics.

The various drafts of academic works originating from this forum demonstrate the strong commitment of the humanities in formulating a foundation for solving societal problems. Thorough research planning related to language, culture, and history is highly essential for establishing equitable public governance. Ultimately, the effort to prepare this humanity-based research is expected to help reduce inequalities in living spaces, create an ethical communication climate, and encourage the development of more peaceful and resilient social institutions for the future.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]