The English Studies Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, is pleased to announce the names of students who have been officially selected to join the prestigious RWS Internship Program – Batch 2025.

After a rigorous selection process and thorough evaluation of academic performance, motivation, and readiness for professional development, the following students have been accepted:

1. Adeline Diva Hanjani
2. ⁠Nurainina Berliani Natanda
3. ⁠Bathari Sekar Dewangga

We are especially delighted to highlight that this marks the second consecutive time that students from the English Studies Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, have successfully secured all available internship slots at RWS, an impressive achievement that reflects their academic excellence, professionalism, and global readiness.

These outstanding students will represent the English Studies Program in their internship with RWS, a leading global provider of language services and technology solutions. During their internship, they will gain invaluable experience in the field of language, translation, and content management in a professional international setting.

We extend our warmest congratulations to the selected interns and wish them a fruitful and inspiring journey. This achievement reflects their hard work, commitment, and potential to grow as globally competent graduates.

Amid the surge of technology and the rise of artificial intelligence capable of arranging sentences neatly, Kumala–student of Arabic Literature–chose writing as her path of expression and contribution. “AI-generated writing may be neat, but the emotion and meaning can only come from humans,” she said.

For Kumala, being a student of Arabic Literature is not just about reading classical works or understanding the Arabic language in depth, but also about learning how to voice stories powerfully. Content writing became the medium she chose to bridge theory with practice. She believes that good writing can serve as a bridge connecting emotion, information, and action.

From Interest to Action: How Kumala Began Writing Content

Kumala’s interest in content writing grew alongside her curiosity about the creative process behind content itself. For her, the brainstorming stage is the most crucial. “That’s where it all starts–before the visuals and editing, there’s an idea that needs to be packaged attractively and powerfully,” she explained.

Kumala also brings her academic passion for literature into the world of content. One of her favorite courses is Geoculture and Geopolitics of the Middle East, which opened her eyes to major issues that could be conveyed through writing. “One day, I want to write content that acts as a catalyst to voice issues in the Middle East,” she added.

First Steps at UNAI and Valuable Lessons from One Piece of Content

Although she’s still new to her role as a content writer at UNAI, Kumala has already experienced the challenges of this world. She started by writing carousel content for Instagram, a format that may seem simple but demands high precision. Her biggest challenge? “Finding ideas that are relevant, trending, and emotionally engaging enough to capture the audience’s attention. It’s not easy, but it’s very rewarding,” she said.

Of all the content she has created, her first piece remains the most memorable, not just because it was the first, but because she had to carefully listen to a speaker with an American accent, filter out many sentences, and condense them into a single impactful paragraph. “That’s where I learned how to craft a sentence that truly ‘says something’,” she shared.

The Content Writer as a Communication Bridge

According to Kumala, the role of a content writer is crucial within an institution. “At UNAI, content writing is part of the communications department. So we don’t just create content, we deliver the institution’s messages, vision, and values to the public,” she explained. This shows that good writing isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s also about strategy.

A Message to Students: Dare to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Amid her academic and non-academic commitments, Kumala continues to strive to stay motivated. She holds on to one principle: “The life we live today is the dream we had yesterday. So make the most of it and live it wholeheartedly.”

For students who still hesitate to explore beyond their field of study, Kumala has a message: “Being different isn’t bad. Try as many new things as possible, as long as they don’t harm others or yourself. Don’t reach old age with regret, be a youth who explores, and an elder with stories to tell.”

In this digital era, Kumala believes it’s essential for students to equip themselves with various skills. “We don’t know which skill will open the door to our future career. So don’t be afraid to explore. Technology may be advanced, but we humans must be even more advanced.”

And for fellow Arabic Literature students interested in content writing, Kumala ends with one practical tip: “Write what you think. Set small milestones for your skill development so you don’t get stuck in one place and can keep growing.”

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, 17/6/2025 – The Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences—Prof. Dr. Setiadi, S.Sos., M.Si.—welcomed the delegation from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Padjadjaran University, during the benchmarking visit of FISIP Unpad to the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM). The event was held offline at the Margono Building, FIB UGM, in an atmosphere full of collaborative spirit and kinship.

This benchmarking activity was attended directly by the Dean of FISIP Unpad—Prof. Dr. Mohammad Benny Alexandri, S.E., M.M.—along with his entourage and warmly received by the Dean and Vice Deans of FIB UGM.

In his remarks, the Dean of FIB UGM presented various strategic programs currently being implemented by the faculty, including INCULS (Indonesian Culture and Language Program for Foreign Learners), one of FIB UGM’s initiatives in internationalization and in promoting the Indonesian language and culture to the world.

The Dean of FIB UGM also explained that the faculty offers complementary courses to fulfill students’ credit requirements, including practice-based courses such as soft skills and cultural practices. These are designed not only to enhance students’ theoretical understanding but also to develop their practical skills in the field.

On the same occasion, he also mentioned that an academic event from one of FIB UGM’s study programs—the Archaeology Exhibition—was being held as part of the learning program.

Furthermore, the discussion also touched upon the partnerships and cooperation networks that FIB UGM has established with various international universities. These networks continue to expand through mobility programs, student exchanges, collaborative research, and programs for teaching the Indonesian language and culture to foreign speakers.

The benchmarking visit concluded with a warm discussion and exchange of ideas between the two institutions, with the hope of opening up new opportunities to improve the quality of education within the faculties.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) students have made another proud achievement. The Basabuja team consisting of students of the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), won a bronze medal in the national essay competition at the Andalas 2025 Scientific Week. The competition was organized by the Political Science Student Association (HIMAPOL) of Andalas University, West Sumatra.

The Basabuja team, which is an acronym for Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture, consists of four students namely Muhammad Siswoyo, Yudha Adistira, Dwi Mei Saroh, and Dian Nitami. In the competition that was held offline, the Basabuja team carried the subtheme of Law and Culture with the essay title Kuṭāramanawa: Ancient and Present Ramanawa.

The essay raised the customary law during the Majapahit Kingdom, which was recorded in Kuṭāramanawa. “What is applied from Kuṭāramanawa is in the form of Smart QR Code and Internet of Things (IoT). As a law that contains very complete social rules, with 275 articles and 19 chapters, we realize that Kuṭāramanawa has values that are relevant to today’s social and environmental conditions,” said Yudha Adistira in an online interview (28/05/2025).

According to Dwi Mei Saroh, in an online interview (24/05/2025), their team had to go through an elimination stage before entering the final round. The final round was held on May 10-13, 2025, with a presentation session on the 11th and the announcement of the winner on May 12. “The only one who represented our team to go and present at Andalas was Siswoyo,” he said.

The process of composing the essays that the team went through was not easy. Dian Nitami said that their long journey began in January 2025. “From the process, of course, many dynamics occurred and the toughest lies in the cost constraints. However, this was overcome with the commitment and solidarity of the team and the help of many other parties. Therefore, we would like to thank you for all the help that has been given,” he explained in an online interview (24/05/2025).

This achievement is expected to be a spark of enthusiasm for students of the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program to continue to work and innovate. In addition, Muhammad Siswoyo invited the younger generation to keep trying to preserve, explore knowledge, and innovate from Javanese literary works. “Javanese literature has many innovative opportunities that can be developed with an interdisciplinary approach. Many branches of science are connected to the laws, customs, culture, and habits of the Javanese people. Friends can utilize this into new innovations. For that, let’s preserve Javanese culture,” he said in an online interview (24/05/2025).

In line with this, Yudha Adistira emphasized the importance of accessibility to classic manuscripts as an effort to preserve and utilize the noble values of the nation. “Customary law is often considered ancient and left behind, but in fact it contains values that are very relevant to the present. However, access to manuscripts such as Kuṭāramanawa is still very limited. Therefore, we feel it is important to digitize this manuscript so that it can be more widely accessed, studied, and reapplied, especially in the context of legal education, cultural preservation, and national character building. We believe that technology can be a bridge between the past and the future,” he concluded.

Author: Haryo Untoro
Editor : Haryo Untoro

The implementation of the Productive Javanese Writing Course in the even semester of the 2024/2025 academic year at the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), presents a different learning atmosphere from previous years. Batch 2024 students get direct assistance from Wikimedia members in learning article writing, especially in Javanese.

The collaboration between the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program and Wikimedia took place from Tuesday, May 6, 2025 to Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Through this collaboration, students not only learn the basics of article writing, but also get an in-depth understanding of the world of Wikipedia, including the structure and language style of article writing, things that are not allowed in writing on Wikimedia, and an introduction to the Wikimedia organization in Indonesia. The students even had the opportunity to write articles directly in Javanese.

During the program, two Wikimedia members, Mbak Ana and Mbak Hanifah, accompanied the students in learning activities. Based on an online interview on June 12, 2025, one of the course participants, Wreksi Awinanggya Pinandhita, said that this activity was considered very useful because it provided concrete provisions in writing, especially writing articles in Javanese.

Overall, this collaboration is considered to provide valuable experience for students. In addition to enriching writing skills, this activity also broadens students’ insights into the world of article writing in the context of local culture. Through the ability to write articles in Javanese, students actively contribute to reintroducing regional culture to a wider audience.

Author: Haryo Untoro
Editor : Haryo Untoro