Efforts to strengthen the integration of technology in Arabic language education were once again highlighted through an international seminar titled “Arabic Linguistic Analysis and Instructional Design.” Held virtually on Thursday, April 30, 2026, the seminar brought together educators, academics, and Arabic language practitioners from various countries. The event served as a discussion forum to explore the development of Arabic language teaching methods in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Through this forum, participants were encouraged to understand the importance of utilizing technology in education while still maintaining scientific and pedagogical foundations in language learning.

Throughout the seminar, participants were introduced to a five-hour learning roadmap consisting of three main stages: theoretical reinforcement, hands-on practice, and professional development for educators. Through this approach, participants gained a broader understanding of how AI can be implemented effectively and sustainably in Arabic language learning. One of the main highlights of the seminar was the introduction of “Mubeen,” an AI model specifically designed for Arabic linguistic needs. Compared to general AI models, Mubeen is considered more capable of handling the complexities of the Arabic language, including accurate tashkil (diacritical marks), morphological structure analysis, and understanding cultural contexts embedded in Arabic usage.

In addition to the presentation sessions, the seminar also featured interactive activities where participants were directly involved in prompt engineering practices. During this session, participants created descriptive Arabic texts, which were later analyzed using the Pedagogical Judge (القاضي البيداغوجي) approach to evaluate their educational quality. The discussions became increasingly engaging, particularly when addressing the role of AI in education. Some participants viewed AI as a tool that could help educators reduce repetitive administrative and planning tasks. Others, however, expressed concerns that excessive reliance on AI could make the learning process overly mechanical. These differing perspectives enriched the discussion and broadened participants’ understanding of technology’s role as a supporting tool in education.

Although conducted virtually, participants remained highly enthusiastic throughout the seminar. This was reflected in the active question-and-answer sessions, discussions, and exchanges of experiences regarding the use of technology in Arabic language learning. As the seminar concluded, the event not only became a platform for sharing knowledge and insights, but also encouraged participants to commit to implementing the training outcomes in their respective institutions. Through this initiative, participants are expected to develop Arabic language teaching methods that are more innovative, adaptive, and relevant to technological advancements in the digital era.

Author : Indana Zulfa Maulida

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada, through the organization of the Asia Theories Network (ATN) Workshop 2026, presents an international academic forum bringing together leading scholars from Asia, the United States, and Europe to discuss the paradoxes of globalization and disconnection in the digital era. The event will take place from May 22–24, 2026, in Room 709, Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Carrying the theme “Globalization and (Dis)Connectivity,” the workshop highlights various issues concerning the transformation of identities, communities, and institutions in an increasingly digitally connected world. Participants are invited to discuss how digital and cultural networks not only foster global integration but also generate new forms of social isolation and disconnection within contemporary society.

ATN Workshop 2026 will also feature interdisciplinary dialogues involving the fields of literature, education, politics, and cultural studies. Academics and researchers will explore a range of contemporary issues, including digital social movements, coalition politics, decolonial discourse, digital well-being, and Anthropocene-related issues concerning the relationship between humans and the environment. The combination of global and local perspectives in each session serves as one of the workshop’s major strengths, including discussions of regional cases such as Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement and media controversies in Indonesia.

In addition to the academic forum, participants will also have the opportunity to experience the cultural richness of Yogyakarta through various cultural activities, including temple visits, traditional performances, and local culinary experiences. These activities aim to introduce Indonesian culture to the international academic community while strengthening cross-cultural exchange among nations.

The organization of the Asia Theories Network Workshop 2026 also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 on Quality Education through the strengthening of international academic collaboration and the development of critical scholarly discourse, SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities through intercultural dialogue and global-local perspectives, and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals through international academic cooperation among researchers, educational institutions, and intellectual communities from various countries.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

For many students, participating in an exchange program is not only about studying in a different country but also about stepping outside of their comfort zone and discovering fresh perspectives. Ardhanamesvari Nuringtyas Aji, known as Vari, is currently experiencing this journey at the National University of Singapore (NUS)  through the DiscoverNUS exchange program. This remarkable program empowers international students to study at NUS, with tuition fees fully covered for one semester. Vari discovered this opportunity through the Office of International Affairs’s website at Universitas Gadjah Mada (OIA UGM). 

Her decision to choose NUS came from practical considerations and personal curiosity. Unlike many students who may have long planned a specific destination, Vari described her choice as something that felt achievable and worth pursuing. “I saw the information and felt like I could meet all the requirements and timeline,” she shared. She felt that Singapore was a realistic opportunity, especially due to its proximity to Indonesia. With a desire to apply for an exchange program, she decided to seize the moment.

Before departing, Vari had to prepare many things, including preparing documents such as recommendation letters and a motivational letter, renewing her passport, and taking the IELTS test. Once accepted, there were still many practical matters to arrange, from issuing a student visa and applying for on-campus housing to selecting classes for the semester. Although demanding, these preparations became an important part of her transition into studying abroad.

Arriving in Singapore for the first time as an exchange student made a strong impression. Compared to Yogyakarta, Vari immediately noticed how different the atmosphere felt. “This city is so modern,” she said, describing Singapore as a place where “everywhere I go it’s very tidy and structured.” She was also surprised by the academic culture at NUS, where classroom participation plays a major role in students’ grades, making discussions highly active and interactive. Another thing that stood out to her was the relaxed dress culture on campus. At the same time, she realised that achieving high grades at NUS was considerably more challenging than she initially expected.

Having never lived outside Yogyakarta, Vari faced several challenges adapting to life in Singapore. She had to adjust to living independently in a shared dormitory, navigating public transportation, and keeping up with the demanding academic environment at the NUS, where active participation, projects, and discussions play a major role in class. To adapt, she gradually built new habits, including spending more time studying at the library. 

During the program, Vari’s daily routine gradually became more structured. On weekdays, she usually wakes up around eight or nine in the morning to have breakfast at her residence hall, which provides meals for students. Outside of academics, she often attends campus events, meets Indonesian friends for lunch, and studies at the library in the evening. In addition, she uses the weekends to explore Singapore together with friends and experience more of the city beyond campus life.

Through her exchange experience, Vari feels that she has grown both personally and academically. Living independently in a new country taught her to become more confident, adaptable, and disciplined, while studying in a highly competitive environment motivated her to work harder and be more consistent. Meeting people from different cultures also broadened her perspective in many ways. “I learned to be brave and confident in doing new things,” she shared.

Reflecting on her journey, Vari encourages other students not to be afraid of trying new opportunities abroad. She emphasises the importance of paying attention to timelines and administrative details, while also staying open to new experiences. For her, the exchange program became one of the most valuable experiences in her life, filled with meaningful lessons, unforgettable memories, and new friendships. “It might sound scary and intimidating at first,” she said, “but once you start the journey, you’ll thank yourself for giving it a try.”

During the final meeting of the first half of the Postcolonialism course, students of the Master’s Program in Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada had the opportunity to attend a guest lecture titled Baltic Postcolonialism, delivered by Dr. Irma Budginaitė-Mačkinė, Associate Professor of Sociology at Vilnius University, Lithuania. Dr. Irma visited Indonesia as part of a research mobility scheme funded by Project MARS: Non-Western Migration from Global Perspectives.

The lecture was organized by Dr. Arifah Arum Candra Hayuningsih, the lecturer responsible for the first half of the Postcolonialism course. The guest lecture for the Master’s Program in Literature was held on Monday (27/4/2026) at Soegondo Building Room 224, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Postcolonialism is one of the compulsory courses designed to provide students with an understanding of the dynamics of colonialism and its impacts on various aspects of life, including language, literature, economics, politics, and culture. The course does not only focus on countries in Asia and Africa, but also covers other regions such as the Caribbean, Kenya, India, Vietnam, and Eastern Europe, including Lithuania, which experienced forms of domination different from classical colonialism.

These diverse colonial experiences gave rise to postcolonial thinkers who sought to critique and deconstruct colonial hegemony through reflective and critical ideas. Figures such as Aimé Césaire, Albert Memmi, Frantz Fanon, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Chandra Talpade Mohanty, and Édouard Glissant contributed diverse perspectives in understanding colonialism and the process of decolonization.

In her presentation, the academic, whose interdisciplinary background spans political science and sociology, highlighted Lithuania’s ambiguous position within postcolonial studies, particularly in the post-Soviet context. To understand this ambiguity, Lithuania must be viewed within a post-imperial framework, as a country transitioning from the rule of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union into the post-Soviet era. Lithuania cannot easily be categorized as a “colonized” nation in the classical colonial sense, yet it still experienced forms of colonial-like domination.

Geographically, Lithuania covers an area of approximately 65,300 km², roughly half the size of Java Island, with a population of around 2.9 million people, comparable to the population of Yogyakarta City. Its national language, Lithuanian, belongs to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family and remains an important part of the country’s national identity despite historical pressures.

Historically, Lithuania was once part of a political union through the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569. However, in 1795, the country lost its sovereignty and became part of the Russian Empire. Since then, various policies demonstrated that the domination imposed upon Lithuania was neither simple nor singular, but systematic and complex.

During her presentation, the sociologist, who has conducted scientific research for more than a decade, also discussed the perspective of historian Darius Staliūnas, who described Russian domination in Lithuania as extending into many aspects of life. Politically, Lithuania was placed under external control that restricted national sovereignty. Socially, repression in the form of censorship and limitations on freedom became part of the people’s lived experience. Economically, exploitation and the redirection of economic orientation served the interests of the imperial center.

In the spheres of culture, language, and religion, this domination manifested through policies promoting Russification. The Russian government promoted Orthodox Christianity, limited the influence of the Catholic Church, and at one point prohibited the use of the Latin alphabet. These policies reflected systematic attempts to displace Lithuania’s local identity. Furthermore, education and knowledge were also used as instruments of control to shape public ways of thinking according to the interests of those in power.

As a response to these pressures, Lithuanians demonstrated various forms of resistance, one of which was large-scale migration. Between 1865 and 1915, around 700,000 Lithuanians left their country and migrated to regions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Germany. This migration can be understood as an indirect form of resistance against the domination they experienced.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Lithuania entered a post-Soviet transition phase marked by the restoration of political independence in 1990 and the end of direct external control. Nevertheless, the effects of previous domination continue to be felt today. Like many other Eastern European countries, Lithuania faces challenges as a relatively less-developed nation that is not yet fully modernized and is still striving to catch up with Western countries.

Therefore, Lithuania’s experience demonstrates that colonialism does not always take the form of explicit geographical occupation, but can also be recognized through complex and layered power relations. This ambiguity makes Lithuania a compelling case in postcolonial studies, while also expanding the scope of postcolonial analysis beyond the Global South.

[Magister Sastra, Selvia Parwati Putri]

The Japanese Language and Culture Study Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) once again achieved a national accomplishment by winning the Grand Champion title at the 2nd Hiroshima University Japanese Essay Contest in Indonesia. The awards were presented on 7 February 2026 during the award ceremony held at Garuda Hall, Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, involving various national and international institutions as event partners.

The Japanese-language essay contest was organized by Hiroshima University in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia and Universitas Dharma Persada, with support from the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, the Association of Japanese Language Education, PT Suzuki Indomobil Sales, SPRIX Inc., Nihon Talent Solution, Andersen Group, Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd., Chateraise Co., Ltd., and Marugame Udon. In its second year, the competition received 268 essay submissions from 24 universities across Indonesia, a significant increase compared to the previous year, which received only 96 submissions.

Out of hundreds of submissions, 30 participants were selected to advance to the interview stage. UGM submitted 21 essays, with three participants advancing to the interview round, and two of them receiving awards, including the Grand Champion title.

A 2022 student of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program UGM, Michelle Anastasia Budiman, won the Grand Champion award and received prizes including a MacBook Air M4, a round-trip ticket from Yogyakarta to Hiroshima with two weeks of accommodation, a round-trip ticket from Yogyakarta to Jakarta along with hotel accommodation for the award ceremony, Marugame Udon meal vouchers, and a certificate of achievement.

Meanwhile, another 2022 student of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program UGM, Sheila Nursabila Sunarto, received the Honorable Mention Award and obtained a Huawei MatePad SE tablet, Marugame Udon meal vouchers, and a certificate of achievement.

On the same occasion, the UGM team supervisor, Wiastiningsih, Ph.D., also received an award as the Best Supervisor for her contribution in mentoring and assisting the students throughout the competition process.

The organizing committee stated that the increasing number of participants reflects the growing interest in Japanese language studies in Indonesia and expressed hope that the competition would continue to serve as a platform for appreciation and competency development among university students.

This achievement further demonstrates the commitment of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program UGM to providing quality education and encouraging students to compete at both national and international levels. Through collaboration with various institutions and active participation in global academic events, the program continues to strengthen its role in academic competency development and international networking.

[Japanese Literature, Barra Taura Nursaid]