Yogyakarta, November, 4, 2025 – Students from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program participated in a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on mapping ancient manuscripts organized by the Library and Archives Office (Dinpersip) of Salatiga City, Central Java, on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. The event took place in the Regional Secretariat room of the Salatiga City Library and Archives Office. The students were accompanied by their supervising lecturer, Yosephin Apriastuti Rahayu, S.S., M.Hum., a lecturer in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program who specializes in philology. 

The event began with an opening and remarks from the Mayor of Salatiga and the Head of the Library and Archives Office. In her remarks, the Head of the Library and Archives Office of Salatiga City, Sri Sarwanti, S.H., M.Si., said that there were 37 ancient manuscripts in the Salatiga area. Of these, five manuscripts have been transcribed and translated. All manuscript data has been digitized and stored in the Khastara system owned by the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia or Perpusnas.

The event was interspersed with macapat songs and continued with a presentation on the mapping and preservation of ancient manuscripts, especially those still stored in communities or non-institutions.

One of the interesting points was presented by Dr. Munawar Holil, S.S., M.Hum., a lecturer in philology from the Regional Literature Study Program for Javanese Literature, University of Indonesia. He provided information about the discovery of a manuscript containing the story of Sri Tanjung, with a different version of the story compared to the popular one. This manuscript was found by residents at an antique market.

This FGD activity was enthusiastically welcomed by the students. In an interview on November 4, 2025, one of the participants, Novia Hikmatul Mubarokah, said that this activity provided valuable experience regarding the process of archiving manuscripts. “I feel very happy and interested, because the FGD discussed ancient manuscripts from the city of Salatiga that have been documented by the archives office,” she said.

Mapping ancient manuscripts is considered an important step in preserving the nation’s cultural and intellectual heritage. Manuscripts are not only traces of culture, but also reflect the civilization of the archipelago, containing values, ideas, literary works, and religious knowledge from the past.

The participation of students from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program in this activity is expected to motivate the younger generation to continue preserving manuscripts, exploring the information contained within them, and developing this knowledge so that it can be useful to society. In addition, cooperation between various parties, from the government, academics, communities, to the public, is expected to continue as an effort to care for and preserve the cultural heritage of the Indonesian nation.

Yogyakarta, October 24, 2025 – Two students from the Arabic Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) — Sultan Amirul Muttaqin and Jibriel Sayyid Ishaq — have successfully advanced to the semifinal round of the Al-Istiqama International Arabic Public Speaking Competition 2025. They are two of only 17 participants selected from various countries who made it through after an intense and highly competitive preliminary stage.

In the semifinal round, the competition continues to be held online, with participants required to submit a new video speech addressing a different theme from the previous round. This stage serves as a crucial opportunity for Sultan and Jibriel to demonstrate their analytical depth, creative thinking, and contextual argumentation skills on pressing global issues.

The Arabic Study Program continues to provide comprehensive support for Sultan and Jibriel during this phase, including guidance in speechwriting, training in articulation, intonation, and body language, as well as assistance with video recording and editing. This ongoing support reflects the program’s strong commitment to nurturing students’ linguistic, rhetorical, and cultural competencies on the international stage.

Sultan and Jibriel’s participation in this competition also exemplifies the Arabic Study Program’s contribution to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Their success not only brings pride to the university but also serves as an inspiration for fellow Arabic Literature students to continue developing their potential, engaging in international arenas, and representing Indonesia through language, intellect, and culture.

Author: Muhammad Ardiansyah

Yogyakarta, October 26, 2025 – The Muslim Family of Cultural Sciences (Keluarga Muslim Ilmu Budaya – KMIB) from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), successfully held a social service event titled “Rabita: Raih Berkah, Bagikan Cinta” (Gain Blessings, Share Love) at the Lembaga Kesejahteraan Sosial Anak (LKSA – Child Social Welfare Institution) Omah Ngaji Jogja. This year, the Rabita activity adopted the theme of “Environmental Hygiene” as a form of student concern for the importance of cleanliness and environmental sustainability, while also realizing the spirit of community service.

The event was attended by KMIB members, administrators and fostered children of LKSA Omah Ngaji, as well as students participating in the KMIB Soft Skills class. Their presence added to the spirit of togetherness and strengthened the value of mutual cooperation (gotong royong) throughout the series of activities. The event proceeded with great enthusiasm and cheerfulness, reflecting the collaborative spirit between the students, administrators, and the fostered children of LKSA Omah Ngaji in carrying out social activities.

The series of activities included education on waste sorting, tree planting, and an interactive activity of painting trash bins. Through these activities, KMIB FIB UGM aimed to cultivate awareness of the importance of cleanliness and environmental sustainability from an early age, while creating a fun and memorable learning experience for the children.

Dian Patmisari, the Chief Executive of Rabita, explained that the program not only focused on environmental cleanliness but also instilled humanitarian values, gratitude, and social concern. She stated that Rabita: Gain Blessings, Share Love is a manifestation of gratitude and care from the KMIB extended family towards others, as well as a means to strengthen kinship (silaturahmi) and foster the spirit of Islamic brotherhood (ukhuwah Islamiyah) among students.

More than just a social activity, Rabita served as a platform for FIB UGM students to channel positive energy and strengthen the spirit of community service (one of the Three Pillars of Higher Education – tri dharma perguruan tinggi). Through the theme of “environmental hygiene,” this initiative instilled the awareness that maintaining cleanliness is part of worship and a shared responsibility as the nation’s next generation.

The administrators of LKSA Omah Ngaji Jogja welcomed the implementation of Rabita and appreciated the attention and concern of KMIB FIB UGM for their fostered children. Events like this can provide emotional and educational benefits for the children, as besides fostering environmental awareness, they also instill the value of togetherness and cheerfulness through direct interaction with the students.

The Rabita: Gain Blessings, Share Love activity also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) through efforts to create a clean environment, SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing environmental education to the fostered children, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through concrete action to maintain cleanliness and green the environment, SDG 13 (Climate Action) through tree planting and natural preservation education, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for The Goals) through collaboration between FIB UGM students and LKSA Omah Ngaji Jogja.

(KMIB FIB UGM, Hilmi Anugerah Alghani)

Yogyakarta, November 1, 2025 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada held a Student Exchange Program Evaluation as part of the closing activities for both national and international student exchange programs for the Odd Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Year.

The event took place at two destinations, Gamplong Studio Alam and Kopi Ingkar Janji in Kulon Progo. In addition to serving as a reflection on the implementation of the exchange program, the activity also aimed to strengthen the bonds between exchange students, lecturers, and faculty administrators in a warm and collegial atmosphere.

The event was attended by Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, S.Sos., M.Si., Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Nur Saktiningrum, S.S., M.Hum., and Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources, Suray Agung Nugroho, S.S., M.A., Ph.D. In their remarks, the faculty leaders expressed their appreciation to the exchange students for their enthusiasm and dedication during their studies at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM.

Various positive impressions were shared by the participants. Moza, a Japanese Literature student from Universitas Udayana who joined the exchange program in the Tourism Study Program at FIB UGM, shared how much she enjoyed the program and her interest in learning across disciplines. From Universitas Andalas, Zakiya and Farah also shared their memorable academic experiences at FIB UGM. “Academically, nothing compares to UGM,” said Zakiya, while Farah appreciated the proactive support provided by the study program’s administrative staff.

Tiara Nur Aisyah from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta also expressed her gratitude to the faculty for their assistance throughout the administrative process. “FIB UGM is truly cultured, distinctive, and full of character,” she said.

From the international participants, Ciro from Italy shared his fascinating experience studying Indonesian at FIB UGM. He was impressed by the warm and interactive academic environment. “Here, lecturers truly act as mentors and take part in discussions with students. The atmosphere is very comfortable and makes us feel at home,” he shared.

Beyond sharing experiences, the event also served as a platform for reflection and discussion to evaluate and further improve the exchange program in the future. The event concluded with a group photo session involving all participants and faculty leaders, marking the end of the activity in a friendly and memorable manner.

The implementation of the student exchange program at FIB UGM aligns with the university’s commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this initiative, FIB UGM contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing cross-cultural, cross-institutional, and interdisciplinary learning opportunities that broaden students’ perspectives and enhance their global competencies. Moreover, this activity strengthens the realization of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering sustainable collaboration between domestic and international universities to build an inclusive, continuous, and human-centered educational network.

In this way, FIB UGM not only serves as an academic space for the development of knowledge and culture but also as a platform for nurturing young generations who are open to diversity and committed to achieving sustainable development at the global level.

[Public Relations, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM – Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, October 29, 2025 — A warm and emotional atmosphere enveloped the 4th floor hallway of the Margono Building on Wednesday afternoon. The Department of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, witnessed a special event hosted by Dr. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, M.Hum., a retired lecturer from the department. On this occasion, she distributed a book titled Sastra Menitra to the program and students from various batches as a memento and token of appreciation for the academic journey she had undertaken with the students.

The Sestra Manitra book is not merely a collection of writings, but rather a collaborative work by students from the classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024 who took courses taught by Dr. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, M.Hum., in the even semester of the 2024/2025 academic year. The course covered Creative Written Javanese Language, Philology, Codicology, Communicative Spoken Javanese Language, and New Javanese Poetry Texts.

Presentation of the Sestra Manitra book to representatives of the class of 2022

Presentation of the Sestra Manitra book to representatives of the class of 2023

Presentation of the Sestra Manitra book to representatives of the class of 2024

The class of 2022 contributed through Javanese-language coverage, while the class of 2023 presented illumination results in the form of rubrikasi, renggan, wedana renggan, and wedana gapura renggan. Meanwhile, the class of 2024 wrote various forms of Javanese literature, including parikan, geguritan, macapat, sengkalan, wangsalan, saduran, piwulang, and dongeng.

Etymologically, the title Sastra Menitra means “writings that are composed with deep feeling based on real means.” This meaning reflects the depth of the writings produced by the students through the use of the five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—as gifts and creative powers from God Almighty.

The event began at 4:30 p.m. with an opening and prayer led by Dr. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, M.Hum. The event continued with a speech from the Head of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Dr. Daru Winarti, M.Hum. The atmosphere became solemn when all participants sang the song Panyuwunan “permohonan” (prayer) composed by the late Dr. I. Kuntara Wiryamartana, SJ. The situation became even more solemn with the reading of a poem recited by Noviyanti Alfitri, a student from the class of 2024.

Entering the main session, Dr. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, M.Hum., symbolically handed over the book Sastra Menitra to Dr. Daru Winarti, M.Hum., which was then followed by distribution to lecturers and students. More than just a book handover ceremony, this moment became a form of deep appreciation and remembrance for the entire academic community.

In the introduction to the book, Dr. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, M.Hum., expressed her hope that Sestra Manitra would become a fond memory for students and a sincere tribute to the late Dr. I. Kuntara Wiryamartana, SJ., who had been a teacher and role model from his undergraduate studies to his current service.

She also hopes that this work will inspire the younger generation to continue learning, studying, and preserving Javanese culture. “May Sestra Manitra be useful for anyone who wants to study Javanese language, literature, and culture,” wrote Dr. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, M.Hum.

The book handover ceremony for Sastra Menitra concluded in a warm and grateful atmosphere, marking a beautiful farewell between a dedicated educator and the students who will carry forward the spirit of preserving Javanese culture in the future.

[Javanese Literature, Languange and Culture, Haryo Untoro]