The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM welcomed Hesti Aryani, S.S., M.A., an alumna of the English Literature Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, who is now the Senior Business Development Manager at JANZZ Technology Switzerland and Director of PT JANZZ Technology Indonesia, a BIPA instructor at the Indonesian Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, and a member of the APPBIPA Germany executive board for the promotion of the Indonesian language in Europe. Before returning to Switzerland that afternoon, Hesti took the time to visit the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM, where she received a warm welcome from the faculty leadership. Hopefully, Hesti’s visit to the Faculty of Cultural Sciences will help expand international networks and enhance the soft skills of UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences alumni.

Hesti Aryani, S.S., M.A.’s Journey to Success:

After graduating from high school in 2007, Hesti Aryani went on to study at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, majoring in English Literature. While a student at UGM, Hesti was active in student organizations and participated in youth exchange programs to Russia (2010) and Thailand (2011). Shortly after earning her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, Hesti began her professional career as an instructor of English and BIPA (Indonesian for Foreign Speakers) at Chiang Mai University, Thailand, in 2012. At the same time, Hesti pursued her graduate studies and earned a Master of Arts degree from the English Language and Communication program at the Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

Hesti’s career journey has taken her to study, work, and live in various countries for over 15 years, spanning from Asia to Europe. Her teaching experience later expanded to the international level, including serving as a lecturer at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, where she taught the course “Sprachkurs Indonesisch.” Since moving to Switzerland in 2019, Hesti has continued the mission of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture to globalize the Indonesian language and culture through various language and cultural training programs at the Embassies of the Republic of Indonesia in Bern and Warsaw.

Armed with an academic background in language and literature, education, international communication, business development, and technology, Hesti joined a Swiss IT company in 2022 as an Ontologist (an expert in Artificial Intelligence) to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the field of human resources. Currently, Hesti has been entrusted with the role of Managing Director for the company’s representative office in Indonesia. In carrying out her current role, Hesti not only leads the company but is also involved in the development and training of AI systems to provide solutions that benefit the modern workplace—one example being her active advocacy for the importance of human intelligence in AI technology development and regulation at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva.

Hesti Aryani’s Journey in Teaching Indonesian to Foreign Speakers (BIPA):

For Hesti Aryani, teaching Indonesian to foreign speakers (BIPA) is not merely a profession, but a calling to introduce Indonesia to the world. A journey that began more than a decade ago has taken her to teach in various countries, build an international network, and earn awards for her dedication to Indonesian language education.

This journey began in 2011 when Hesti visited Thailand as part of the ASEAN Youth Friendship Network program. Recognizing market demand amid preparations for the ASEAN Economic Community, Hesti seized the opportunity to open the first BIPA class in Northern Thailand. In collaboration with the Language Institute at Chiang Mai University, she also initiated the establishment of the Indonesian Corner—a space serving as a hub for language learning, culture, and information about Indonesia, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Bangkok. This initiative became a key milestone in the development of Indonesian language education in Northern Thailand.

This experience further strengthened her resolve to develop BIPA professionally by participating in a BIPA teacher certification training program with APBIPA Bali. After returning from Thailand, Hesti joined INCULS (Indonesian Culture and Language Learning Service) and the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (PSSAT) at Gadjah Mada University as a BIPA instructor. These experiences enriched her understanding of cross-cultural teaching strategies and the needs of adult learners from various parts of the world.

In 2019, Hesti continued her international career when she was given the opportunity to teach Indonesian as a Foreign Language (BIPA) at the University of Zurich (UZH) in Switzerland. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she successfully adapted her teaching methods to an online format that was interactive, creative, and still focused on real-world communication.

This dedication earned her national recognition when Hesti received the Best Online BIPA Teaching Award from APPBIPA Pusat, an acknowledgment of her innovation and the quality of her online Indonesian language instruction. This award serves as proof that digital transformation can be an effective means of expanding access to Indonesian language learning worldwide.

Outside the classroom, Hesti actively contributes to the international BIPA professional community. She is a member of APPBIPA Germany, collaborating with Indonesian language teachers across Europe to share best practices, develop academic networks, and strengthen the presence of BIPA on the international stage.

His commitment to language diplomacy is also reflected in his official appointment as a BIPA instructor by the Language Development and Guidance Agency of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia. In this capacity, she was entrusted to teach at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Bern, Switzerland, and later at the KBRI in Warsaw, Poland, introducing the Indonesian language to diplomats, students, professionals, and the international community as part of Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy.

Now, after more than a decade of dedicating herself to the world of BIPA, Hesti’s journey has expanded beyond teaching. With a background as an educator, linguist, and artificial intelligence (AI) practitioner, she is actively developing innovations in language learning, the digitization of education, and the use of technology to expand access to the Indonesian language on a global scale.

For Hesti Aryani, every BIPA class is a space for diplomacy. Every word learned becomes a bridge between nations. And every student who successfully speaks Indonesian is a new ambassador who carries stories about Indonesia to all corners of the world.

Author: Unit PkM, Alumni, dan CDC Fakultas Ilmu Budaya UGM

When you hear the term “Global China,” what comes to mind? Most people would probably answer immediately: the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, for Prof. Timothy Oakes of the University of Colorado Boulder, viewing Global China solely through the lens of BRI policy is an oversimplification. In his guest lecture at the Department of Anthropology, Prof. Oakes invites us to set aside Beijing’s “grand strategy” narrative and shift toward a human geography perspective. He views China not as a monolithic actor operating according to a single blueprint, but rather as a complex “field of power.” This guest lecture explored why China’s obsession with concrete, asphalt, and fiber-optic cables is actually far more profound.

Drawing on the work of sociologist Ching Kwan Lee, Prof. Oakes explained that China’s state capital embodies “Sticky Power.” Unlike Western private capital, which is fluid and easily withdrawn, China’s capital is “anchored” to permanent physical infrastructure. Infrastructure is crucial to a country’s territoriality; it enables the state to control civil society through resources, ranging from dam water flow to the volume of traffic on toll roads. Interestingly, this “Sticky Power” is a double-edged sword. It is true that recipient countries become vulnerable to China’s influence. However, because this capital is “place-bound” (tied to a specific location), China itself becomes vulnerable to local political dynamics. China cannot simply remove toll roads or dams that have already been built if the political situation in the host country deteriorates.

As future scholars, we must view infrastructure projects not merely as bridges or ports, but as configurations of power that are determining who will control our space, data, and mobility in the future.

Author: Humas Departemen Antropologi 

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada held a welcoming ceremony for students participating in the Exchange Program and the Independent Student Exchange (Pertukaran Mahasiswa Merdeka / PMM) for the 2026/2027 Academic Year. The event took place in a warm atmosphere at the Multimedia Room, Margono Building, FIB UGM.

The activity was attended by representatives of the FIB UGM Academic Team and was officially opened by the Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Nur Saktiningrum, S.S., M.E.A. This semester, FIB UGM welcomes 20 exchange students from various partner universities abroad, two of whom are enrolled in joint/double degree programs. Additionally, 10 PMM students from Faculties of Cultural Sciences at universities across Indonesia are joining the faculty.

In her remarks, the Vice Dean extended a warm welcome to all students, expressing her hope that they will easily adapt and make the most of their learning experience at UGM. The ceremony then proceeded with a technical guidance session on course registration (KRS) conducted by the FIB UGM Academic Team to ensure a smooth academic orientation for the incoming students throughout their study period.

The implementation of these exchange programs reflects FIB UGM’s concrete commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, it contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing inclusive and globally oriented educational opportunities, as well as SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by strengthening strategic academic collaborations with higher education institutions both nationally and internationally.

[Humas FIB, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]

The Student Association of Japanese Language and Culture (HIMAJE), Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), organized the Japanese Studies Lecture (Kuliah Seru Kejepangan/KSK) on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the 4th Floor of Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. The event was open to the public and attended by students from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program as well as participants from other faculties within UGM.

HIMAJE invited Lili Febriyani, S.S., M.Si., a lecturer from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, as the keynote speaker. She delivered a lecture entitled “The Visible and the Invisible: Reading Japanese Culture through Visual Media.”

The session began with a series of photographs taken in Japan, encouraging participants to share their initial observations and interpretations. The discussion then moved beyond what was immediately visible, inviting participants to explore the cultural meanings embedded within the images. In addition to photographs, the speaker introduced various forms of visual media—including scenes from Japanese television dramas, television commercials, magazine covers, and other visual materials—to demonstrate how Japanese culture can be understood through critical visual analysis. The lecture covered several topics, including Japanese homogeneity and conformity, changes in Japanese food culture, and shifting representations of masculinity as portrayed in different forms of media.

As one of the flagship programs of HIMAJE’s Education and Strategic Studies Division (DIKASTRAT), the Japanese Studies Lecture aims to broaden public understanding of Japanese Studies through engaging and accessible learning activities. The event was offered free of charge to encourage wider participation from students and the general public.

Author: Heni Putri Lestari

Editor: Lili Febriyani, S.S., M.Si.

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