The Middle Eastern Cultural Studies Study Program held a curriculum meeting on March 9, 2026, in Room 111 of the Soegondo Building, as part of its efforts to strengthen academic quality and improve learning. This meeting involved the Head of the Study Program, lecturers, and the program administration. The curriculum meeting aimed to review the curriculum’s alignment with scientific developments, the needs of the workplace, and evolving global challenges. Furthermore, this forum also served as a means of evaluating the implementation of the previous curriculum to ensure that the learning process within the Middle Eastern Cultural Studies Study Program is increasingly relevant, adaptive, and high-quality.

The meeting discussed various important aspects, including course titles, course structure, graduate learning outcomes, teaching methods, and strengthening student competencies. Curriculum updates are considered crucial so that graduates not only possess a strong academic understanding but also are able to more comprehensively address the needs of society and the development of Middle Eastern cultural studies. The Head of the Middle Eastern Cultural Studies Study Program stated that this curriculum meeting is a strategic step to ensure that the direction of the study program’s development remains aligned with the vision of Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Through constructive discussions, it is hoped that the resulting curriculum will provide a strong foundation for producing superior, critical, and competitive graduates. This activity also reflects the Middle Eastern Cultural Studies Study Program’s commitment to maintaining the quality of higher education through continuous evaluation and renewal. With this curriculum meeting, the study program is expected to continuously improve academic quality and make a tangible contribution to the development of science and civilization.

Author: Jesisca Amanda .F

In an effort to expand its international academic network and enhance human resource capacity, the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) received a visit from the Project Assistant of ERC DEAGENCY. This visit, which also involved a scholarly exchange with affiliates of the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), serves as a concrete step by the faculty in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting was not merely an academic gathering but was also filled with discussion and sharing experience sessions involving the part-time staff of the Department of Anthropology.

The presence of these student staff members is crucial, considering they are the operational backbone who manage the department’s daily needs, ranging from social media, websites, graphic design, and information dissemination, to event organization, data management, and the library. Through this discussion space, they gained global exposure and practical learning outside the classroom. New insights regarding international standards in department management directly improved their professional competencies in digital communication, design, and managerial fields. This empowerment is a tangible manifestation of creating an inclusive and productive working environment on campus, while also serving as valuable preparation before they enter the professional workforce.

Furthermore, the exchange of information regarding data management and information dissemination encourages the creation of a more transparent, accountable, and effective department governance system. This cross-border dialogue between the UGM FIB Department of Anthropology, ERC DEAGENCY, and the University of Ljubljana is a manifestation of a global partnership that is essential for the sustainable transfer of academic knowledge. Through this synergy, the department hopes to continue optimizing the role of student staff not only as technical support but also as a driving force for service innovation to realize an educational institution that possesses integrity, is globally competitive, and delivers a positive impact on the academic community.

Author: Puspita Nindya Sari

Yogyakarta, May 13, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) organized the Poetika Article Workshop for Scopus Reapplication. This event is part of the Journal Governance Assistance Program Toward Scopus Indexing and UGM Journal Quartile Improvement EQUITY WCU 2025/2026, aimed at boosting the quality of scientific publications in the field of literature.

The program specifically targets students, lecturers, and literature researchers. Through an intensive mentoring scheme, this initiative is projected to expand the distribution of author affiliations, improve the quality of manuscripts published by Poetika, Journal of Literary Studies, and simultaneously increase global article citations.

Before the main workshop took place, the committee conducted a rigorous series of selection stages. The process began with manuscript submissions through a Call for Articles from February 23 to April 15, 2026. Submitted manuscripts then went through an initial screening process from April 15 to 27, 2026. Subsequently, the manuscripts entered a period of in-depth review from April 28 to May 12, 2026, in accordance with the publication guidelines of Poetika Journal.

During the workshop, ten successfully selected articles received comprehensive revision notes from two expert mentors. Dr. Phil. Muammar Zayn Qadafy and Noor Malihah, Ph.D. were tasked with analyzing the substance of each manuscript to ensure they meet international standard qualifications.

Several manuscripts reviewed by Dr. Qadafy covered topics such as children’s literature analysis, liminal space in postcolonial studies, power relations, gender inequality, and necropolitics. Meanwhile, Dr. Malihah reviewed manuscripts related to religious nationalism, mechanisms of violence, trauma representation, reading habits, and women’s resistance.

The Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni of FIB UGM, Mimi Savitri, S.S., M.A., Ph.D., expressed her positive response to the implementation of this event during her opening remarks.

“We appreciate this event because it is not only to improve the quality of the participants’ articles but also part of the effort to elevate the accreditation of Poetika Journal to a higher level, from Sinta 2 to Scopus. Therefore, the faculty supports this activity because the success of Poetika is not just the participants’ success in producing high-quality and internationally recognized articles. It also expands the international network of FIB, which consequently boosts the faculty’s global recognition,” she stated.

This periodic governance and improvement of scientific publication standards reaffirm the role of educational institutions in supporting the dissemination of quality knowledge. Elevating research quality to an international level is expected to strengthen cross-border academic partnership networks and ensure the sustainability of an inclusive educational ecosystem for the broader community.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

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]