The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) held an orientation session and course registration for National and International Student Exchange participants for the even semester of 2026. The event took place in Meeting Room 1, Poerbatjaraka Building, FIB UGM. It was attended by students from South Korea, Taiwan, Brunei Darussalam, Italy, and Japan, as well as from Universitas Brawijaya, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Universitas Andalas, and Universitas Udayana. The Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs of FIB UGM was also present at the event.

The session aimed to provide students with an understanding of the faculty environment and academic system, including class schedules, the academic calendar, and classroom learning culture. In his remarks, the Vice Dean stated, “We hope the students will adapt well and make the most of this opportunity to enrich their academic and cross-cultural experiences.”

Through this activity, FIB UGM seeks to foster an open and collaborative learning environment amid the diverse backgrounds of its students. Cross-campus and cross-country interactions are expected to strengthen academic networks while supporting students’ continuous capacity development.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

An undergraduate student of the Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, M Deni Maulana, has won the prestigious Daesang (대상) award at the Global Inbound Start-Up Idea Competition held in South Korea. The accolade was awarded for his innovative, contextual, and practical educational start-up concept designed to address the needs of international students.

The global competition brought together 45 participants from 20 universities across various countries. It was organized by Jeonbuk National University, Jeonbuk State, and the Global Innovation Start-Up Center (GISC). The event series took place from November 13 to December 3, 2025, and was held onsite at The May Hotel Jeonju, Jeonbuk State, South Korea. The competition stages included idea submission, concept presentation, mentoring sessions, and final evaluation by a panel of professional judges.

At the international forum, Deni represented Indonesia with a conceptually strong and strategically competitive proposal. He earned the Daesang award for his start-up idea, LinguaLoka, which addresses cross-cultural communication challenges, particularly the gap in understanding dialects and everyday speech varieties that are often overlooked in formal language learning.

Drawing on his academic background in Indonesian Language and Literature and his interest in the Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) program, Deni developed LinguaLoka as a local dialect-based language learning application. His experience as an exchange student in South Korea and as an Indonesian language tutor for Korean students significantly shaped the idea. Through direct interaction, he observed that foreign language learners frequently struggle to understand language in everyday conversational contexts, while mastery of dialects often becomes the key to effective social communication.

“Language learning cannot rely solely on formal structures. Dialects and everyday speech contexts play a crucial role in building meaningful communication,” said Deni Maulana.

Conceptually, LinguaLoka features several key components, including real-life conversation simulations, a peer-to-peer language exchange feature, and an educational dialect-guessing game. The application is designed to facilitate Indonesian and Korean students in learning formal language while also becoming familiar with regional dialects used in daily life in both countries.

The panel of judges assessed LinguaLoka as having strong educational value, global development potential, and sustainability as a culture-based educational start-up. Deni’s background as a humanities student was considered a conceptual advantage, as he was able to integrate linguistic studies, BIPA teaching experience, and the practical needs of international students.

This achievement underscores the strategic role of language and literature students in generating cross-disciplinary innovations relevant to global challenges. Through culture-based educational approaches, such innovations are expected to strengthen cross-cultural understanding and foster the development of inclusive and sustainable learning ecosystems at the international level.

Source: M. Deni Maulana
[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

It may seem uncommon for a humanities student to be involved in an international forum centered on business and innovation. Yet that is precisely what makes the story of Kharisma Qurrota Ayun compelling. A Master’s student in Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Kharisma took part in the Korea Youth Summit 2026, organized by Youth Break the Boundaries from February 2–5, 2026, in South Korea.

Rather than attending as a project delegate, Kharisma contributed from behind the scenes as a member of the organizing committee. Far from being a secondary role, her position highlights an important point: global forums are not sustained by ideas alone, but also by the cultural fluency, communication skills, and coordination that make international collaboration possible. Her involvement invites a broader reflection on how the humanities, often perceived as distant from business and technology, play a vital role in knowledge diplomacy and cross-cultural engagement.

The summit’s central agenda, the International Symposium, brought together 34 young innovators from New Zealand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Morocco, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Uzbekistan. Participants presented business-driven solutions to pressing global challenges, including green economic transitions and community-based empowerment initiatives. The symposium functioned not merely as a competition of ideas, but as a shared learning space where diverse perspectives met and evolved.

In this context, Kharisma’s academic training in literary studies proved unexpectedly relevant. Literature sharpens the ability to interpret narratives, understand cultural nuances, and engage with different worldviews, skills that are indispensable in multinational settings. In global conversations, persuasive storytelling and cultural sensitivity are often as important as technical feasibility. Her background equipped her to navigate complex intercultural dynamics while supporting the event’s overall coordination.

As part of the organizing team, she helped ensure the smooth execution of the symposium, facilitated communication among international participants, and maintained the flow of the program. The role demanded meticulous planning, adaptability, and intercultural competence: qualities that reflect the emerging practice of youth-led global diplomacy.

Kharisma’s experience underscores a broader message: humanities graduates are not confined to classrooms or textual analysis. They are equally positioned to contribute to global innovation ecosystems. Her journey illustrates that literature is not only about studying texts, but about cultivating the capacity to “read” societies, bridge differences, and shape meaningful dialogue.

From Yogyakarta to South Korea, her participation signals the growing presence of Indonesian youth in international arenas. It also reminds us that transformative global initiatives rely not only on groundbreaking ideas and capital investment, but on empathy, narrative intelligence, and collaboration across cultures.

[Master of Arts in Literature, Khotibul Umam]

The Master’s Program in Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held an Inauguration Night for New Students of the Even Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Year at Pondok As-Salam Kalimasada, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, on Saturday–Sunday, 14–15 February 2026. Carrying the theme “Our Literature, One Family,” the event marked the initial momentum in shaping the academic identity of master’s students.

The main session commenced on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (WIB) and featured the Head of the Master’s Program in Literature, Prof. Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum. In his remarks, he emphasized that at the master’s level, students are expected to demonstrate a higher degree of academic maturity.

“Master’s students are not only required to master course materials. They must also understand the history and philosophy of UGM as the foundation for developing academic attitudes and ethics,” he stated.

Aprinus also highlighted the importance of building a collaborative academic culture. He stressed that an open tradition of discussion, accompanied by mutual support across cohorts, is a prerequisite for fostering a healthy, productive, and sustainable scholarly community.

The event also featured a sharing session with senior students—Khotibul Umam, Marsya Kamila, and Kharisma Qurrota A’yun—who shared their experiences regarding time management, academic dynamics, and strategies for preparing research proposals as initial preparation for graduate studies.

The keynote lecture was delivered by Professor of Philosophy at UGM, Prof. Drs. M. Mukhtasar Syamsuddin, M.Hum., Ph.D., who elaborated on UGM’s Five Pillars as the philosophical foundation of the university. He explained that UGM is grounded in five principal identities: a National University, a University of Struggle, a Pancasila University, a People-Oriented University, and a Center of Culture. These pillars serve as the institutional direction as well as ethical guidelines for the entire academic community.

“UGM is not merely an educational institution, but a space for shaping the nation’s character. Therefore, its core values must be embodied in students’ daily conduct,” he remarked.

During the discussion session, Mukhtasar Syamsuddin also underscored the importance of interdisciplinary openness, particularly for literature students. According to him, the complexity of social and cultural issues demands cross-disciplinary dialogue; therefore, students should not construct rigid boundaries between literature, philosophy, and other fields of study. This perspective is highly relevant to the reflective and humanistic character of literary studies.

The main session concluded at 9:30 p.m. and was followed by performances by the 2025/2026 Even Semester cohort, including poetry readings and musical performances that strengthened solidarity among members. After the evening program, participants rested and continued the agenda the following day.

On the second day, Sunday (15/2), activities began with congregational dawn prayer, followed by a morning walk and group games designed to reinforce togetherness. The event concluded with a session for sharing hopes and a group photo before participants returned to their respective homes.

Through this inauguration night, the Master’s Program in Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, reaffirmed its commitment to postgraduate education that is oriented not only toward academic achievement but also toward the cultivation of integrity, interdisciplinary awareness, and moral responsibility in upholding the university’s core values. The event marked the beginning of the intellectual journey of 33 new students in developing critical, reflective literary studies that contribute meaningfully to society.

[Master of Arts in Literature, Rini Febriani Hauri]

A lecturer of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Achmad Rio Dessiar, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., received an official invitation to participate in a series of academic activities in South Korea from 26–30 January 2026. The invitation included participation in the Global Matching Lab program at Kyungpook National University (KNU), as well as meetings to explore academic collaboration with Yeungnam University in Daegu.

The visit began with participation in the Global Matching Lab at Kyungpook National University (KNU), which involved discussions with Prof. Ahn Mi-ae (Kyungpook National University) and Prof. Lee Mi-hyang (Yeungnam University). In addition to these discussions, the agenda included formulating joint research plans, organizing academic seminars, and exchanging perspectives on Korean language education in the Southeast Asian region. Through this program, sustainable research collaboration between researchers of both institutions is expected to be established, along with academic contributions relevant to each country’s local context.

On the same day, a public lecture was also delivered at Kyungpook National University under the theme The Development of Korean Studies Teaching in Indonesia. The lecture served as a platform for academic exchange while introducing the dynamics of Korean language and Korean Studies education in Indonesia to the international academic community.

As a follow-up to the academic collaboration initiative, a visit was also conducted to Yeungnam University. This visit continued the earlier meeting held on 27 December 2025, when several Yeungnam University faculty members visited the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, to explore potential cooperation.

During the visit to Yeungnam University, discussions were held with the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Prof. Noh Sang-rae, and Prof. Lee Eun-jung from the Department of Anthropology, focusing on opportunities for deeper academic and research collaboration. Several forms of cooperation were agreed upon, including a student exchange program that enables students to apply for scholarships and study at Yeungnam University, as well as academic support for those intending to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in the humanities. Yeungnam University also expressed its willingness to issue Letters of Acceptance (LoA) to support scholarship applications.

Participation in this international forum reflects the active role of UGM faculty in expanding global academic networks, strengthening educational and research collaboration, and promoting cross-border knowledge exchange. These efforts also contribute to advancing quality education, sustainable international cooperation, and increased academic mobility for both students and faculty at the global level.

Penulis: Eunike Serafia & Aura Adiba