Yogyakarta, April 25, 2026 – The Association of Arabic Literature Students of Universitas Gadjah Mada (IKMASA UGM) once again presents a student development program through the IKMASA Future Leaders 2026 event. With the theme Public Speaking Advancement & Leadership Decision Making, this program serves as a learning space for students to enhance their public communication skills while also strengthening their leadership capacity.

The event featured two experienced speakers in their respective fields. Nafesya Amrina Rasyada, S.S., Creative Officer at GIK UGM, delivered a session on public speaking, while Syifa Ulhusna Syahputri, S.S., Founder of Pelita Gembira, discussed leadership. Both speakers presented the material in an applied approach that was closely related to the current realities faced by students.

In the public speaking session, participants were guided to understand the fundamentals of effective communication, build self-confidence, and develop well-structured and persuasive ideas. Meanwhile, in the leadership session, participants were encouraged to explore the importance of decision-making, the ability to lead in various situations, and the development of adaptive leadership character. 

The event atmosphere was highly interactive. Participants did not only listen to the presentations but also actively engaged in discussions, asked questions, and shared their experiences. Overall, IKMASA Future Leaders 2026 ran smoothly and provided a positive impact on students’ soft skills development, particularly in communication and leadership.

This program is expected to serve as an initial foundation for Arabic Literature students at UGM to become better prepared in facing future challenges, both in academic and professional fields.

[Arabic Literature, Indana Zulfa Maulida]

Yogyakarta, April 24, 2026 – Encouraging news comes from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). A professor of FIB UGM, Prof. Dr. Pujo Semedi Hargo Yuwono, M.A., has officially been appointed as a member of the UGM Board of Trustees (Majelis Wali Amanat / MWA) for the 2026–2031 term, representing the professoriate. The appointment was determined during the Special Plenary Meeting of the Academic Senate on Friday (24/4).

The appointment of Prof. Pujo Semedi underscores the strategic role of FIB UGM in university-level policymaking. As a professor in the field of humanities, he brings an academic perspective that emphasizes cultural values, ethics, and a strong commitment to the public interest in higher education governance.

The Board of Trustees is a key governing body within UGM, responsible for setting general policies, overseeing institutional performance, and ensuring the university’s long-term sustainability. In this context, the presence of an FIB UGM professor within the MWA is expected to strengthen more inclusive, balanced, and human-centered policy directions.

The selection of MWA members for the 2026–2031 period involves representatives from various sectors, including public figures, alumni, faculty members, administrative staff, and students. The representation of FIB UGM through Prof. Pujo Semedi highlights the significant contribution of the humanities in fostering accountable and sustainable university governance.

With the mandate entrusted to him, Prof. Pujo Semedi is expected to contribute optimally to advancing UGM as a leading higher education institution with broad societal impact.

In line with this, the involvement of an FIB UGM professor in the MWA also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) through strengthening higher education governance, and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) through efforts to promote transparent, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, April 8, 2026 – The Arabic Literature Student Association (IKMASA) successfully held its Syawalan event which was titled IKMASA Balalan 2026 at Gedung Soegondo, Faculty of Cultural Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada. The event served as a warm gathering space for students and lecturers of Arabic Literature at UGM following the holy month of Ramadan 1447 H.

Held from 08:45 to 10:30 AM, the event began with an opening by the MC, followed by a recitation of the Holy Qur’an. It continued with remarks from the Head of the Study Program and the Head of IKMASA, both of whom emphasized the importance of maintaining strong relationships and a sense of togetherness within the academic community. Isa, as the Head of IKMASA, also expressed his hope that such events will continue to serve as a meaningful platform to strengthen unity among students and lecturers. A solemn atmosphere filled the room during the Syawalan pledge session, delivered in turns by representatives from each cohort. This moment became a deeply meaningful occasion for mutual forgiveness, reflecting sincerity and openness among participants. The pledge was not merely ceremonial—it truly created a space for heartfelt reconciliation, both among students and between students and lecturers.

The highlight of the event featured a session by Arief Budiman, S.S., M.A., who emphasized the importance of cultivating strong determination in all aspects of life. In his talk, he encouraged participants to set clear goals, remain consistent, and persevere through challenges. According to him, a firm determination is the foundation for achieving success—not only academically, but also in personal growth and everyday life.

The event concluded with a prayer led by Nur Kholid, S.Pd.I., M.Pd.I., followed by a group documentation session and mushofahah (a gesture of mutual greetings and forgiveness). The warm and friendly atmosphere was evident in the interactions between students and lecturers throughout the event. Through this halal bihalal gathering, IKMASA successfully strengthened the bonds of friendship while also fostering a deeper sense of reflection and togetherness during the blessed month of Syawal.

[Arabic Literature, Indana Zulfa Maulida]

Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has officially inaugurated Professor Dr. Nur Aini Setiawati, M.Hum., Ph.D., as a Professor of Agrarian History at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. The inauguration ceremony took place at the UGM Central Building on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. In her inauguration speech, she analyzed the dynamics of agrarian reform and its impact on agricultural development through a comparative study between Indonesia and South Korea.

Professor Setiawati delivered a speech titled “From Agrarian Phenomena to Agricultural Development: Indonesia and Korea.” She emphasized that land ownership and control are key factors in determining the success of a country’s development. Using a chronological and thematic historical approach, she evaluated how changes in agricultural production have been heavily influenced by land policies of the past.

“Agrarian reform plays a crucial role in agricultural development. By understanding agrarian issues, this study evaluates changes in agricultural production. The main problem to be addressed in this speech is how the impact of agrarian reform on agricultural development can be re-examined, considering that the issues of agrarian reform and agricultural development since the era of kingdoms have always been a compelling subject,” stated Professor Setiawati in her speech.

In her presentation, she explained South Korea’s success in implementing agrarian reform between 1945 and 1950. The policy successfully increased agricultural productivity by providing incentives to farmers. Consequently, the Korean agricultural sector was able to provide a stable food supply amidst waves of industrialization and urbanization. Furthermore, this reform contributed to the formation of an educated working class and encouraged the emergence of a new capitalist class.

A different situation occurred during the period of 1960 to 1984. Professor Setiawati revealed that Indonesia tended to be trapped in ideological conflicts and weak bureaucracy. National industrialization in Indonesia was not aligned with land reform. Instead, land procurement for industry actually strengthened the concentration of land control by the state and corporations. On the other hand, South Korea placed agrarian reform as the main foundation of their national industrialization.

The failure to equalize land ownership in Indonesia was also triggered by a lack of supervision and resistance from local elites. This stands in stark contrast to South Korea, which successfully distributed land evenly thanks to strong institutional support, such as cooperatives and village development programs. The impact can be seen in farmers’ welfare, where South Korea achieved rice self-sufficiency while Indonesia experienced stagnation due to structural inequality.

These findings indicate that consistent agrarian governance is the main differentiator in transforming land challenges into developmental strengths. Agrarian reform is not merely an economic policy, but a historical process that reflects power relations and the future direction of a nation.

This historical record serves as an important reflection for current policy formulation. Inclusive management of agrarian resources is an absolute prerequisite for ensuring food sovereignty and public welfare in the future. Through the continuity of appropriate policies and social legitimacy, land justice is expected to become an engine of development that provides tangible benefits to all levels of society fairly and equitably.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Amid the overwhelming flow of information, writing is often reduced to a mere technical skill—the ability to arrange words so they read smoothly. Yet in an academic context, writing is fundamentally an intellectual act: a way of thinking, responding, and ultimately taking a position in relation to reality.

In a workshop organized by the Master’s Program in Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum. emphasized that students should not remain confined to the classroom. Ideas, he argued, must be brought into the public domain—into mass media and shared spaces where discourse is exchanged and debated. “Students need to be present in the public sphere through their writing. It is also important to include institutional affiliation as a form of academic responsibility,” Aprinus noted.

There is often a noticeable gap between academia and the wider public. Overly technical language, ideas circulating within limited circles, and a tendency to write merely for assignments can strip knowledge of its broader relevance. This is where the essay finds its significance.

Unlike formal academic writing, essays do not demand rigid structures. They allow space for subjectivity, reflection, and even doubt. Paradoxically, this is precisely where their strength lies—in the courage to take a stance, not merely present data.

However, this freedom is not without direction. Essay writing still requires strategy. There is a long, often invisible process behind it: reading, experimenting, failing, and trying again. Prof. Aprinus illustrated that the journey of writing can be winding—from critiques that fail to “break through” to discovering more nuanced, even ironic ways of expressing ideas.

Writing, then, is not only about the end result, but about the process of finding one’s voice.

One approach offered is to use literary works as a lens for interpreting reality. Fiction is no longer seen as a separate world, but as another way of understanding the real one. From there, writers can build bridges between imagination and concrete social conditions.

Depth, too, becomes essential. In an age that favors speed and superficiality, there is a call to slow down and immerse oneself in a single idea, figure, or perspective until it is fully internalized—not to imitate, but ultimately to move beyond it.

In this session, there was no conventional Q&A. Instead, participants were invited to reflect directly through reviews of the essays they had previously submitted. The feedback may have seemed simple, yet it touched on fundamental aspects: appropriate length, fresh and relevant titles, and the courage to take a clear stance.

What may appear technical, in fact, conceals deeper questions: for whom do we write, and why?

When students begin to write for mass media, they are not merely practicing a skill—they are assuming a role. They step into the public sphere as thinking individuals who do not simply consume information, but actively produce it.

At this point, writing becomes more than just an academic exercise. It becomes a path home—a way for intellectuals to reconnect with the very reality that gave rise to them.

[Master of Arts in Literature, Khotibul Umam]