Undoukai 2026 was held as a sports competition for students of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (BKJ UGM). Promoting the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship, the event brought together representatives from each cohort in a series of competitions held on September 5–6, 2026.

Various sports and games enlivened Undoukai 2026, including badminton, gobak sodor, Mobile Legends, and e-Football. The competitions took place at several locations around Yogyakarta and within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM.

More than just an opportunity to showcase skills and compete for victory, Undoukai 2026 provided students with a chance to strengthen camaraderie, foster healthy competitiveness, and create memorable experiences across different cohorts.

Author: SAHLA NAURA NOOR SABRINA

The Cultural Anthropology Student Association (KEMANT) organized the “Antro
Jalan-Jalan” event as part of the lead-up to the Ethnophotography Exhibition. This event is a
joint initiative of the Media and Information (Medinfo) and Interests and Talents (Mikat)
divisions. “Antro Jalan-Jalan” is specifically designed for undergraduate and graduate students
to explore the lives and cultural dynamics of local communities firsthand in the Kali Code area
of Yogyakarta. Students are invited to document social realities and create in-depth visual
narratives centered on the theme of “Third Place.” In anthropology, the concept of “Third
Place” refers to open social spaces that exist between the home and the workplace or school.
The Kali Code area was chosen because, amidst the dense residential neighborhoods, the local
community actively creates various social spaces where they gather and build community.
Examples of these social spaces include coffee shops, angkringan (street food stalls), parks,
and places of worship.

The Antro Jalan-Jalan series will be held in three phases from mid-September through
early October 2026. The first phase began on September 19, 2026, with an opening session and
a presentation on ethnophotography by the course instructor and local figures, followed by
independent field exploration and a brief discussion. The second session took place on
September 26, 2026, focusing on in-depth visual exploration in Kali Code and refining the
themes for the participants’ works. This entire exploration series officially concluded on
October 3, 2026, with an intensive discussion session with the instructor and technical
refinement of photography techniques. During the photography process, participants were
given the freedom to use a variety of photographic devices, ranging from digital cameras and
film cameras to cell phone cameras. After all “Antro Jalan-Jalan” sessions were completed, the
curatorial and artistic teams proceeded to the work alignment phase in October 2026.

The culmination of the entire program is the Ethnophotography Exhibition, scheduled
for November 2026. This exhibition features a unique street exhibition concept that utilizes the
alleys, streets, and lanes around Kali Code as exhibition spaces. In addition to the visual
exhibition, the culminating event will feature a discussion session with faculty advisors, guest
speakers, and the artists themselves to explore the meaning behind the ethnophotographic
works on display. The series of events will conclude with a photo auction aimed at reducing
exhibition waste, with the majority of the proceeds distributed as honoraria to the participating
artists.

Author: Aisyah Alya Muztahid

YOGYAKARTA – An alumnus of Arabic Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Ahmad Fauzi Qosim, S.S., M.A., delivered a Entrepreneurship lecture titled “Social Entrepreneurship Opportunities” attended by students of the Arabic Literature Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada. In the lecture, he explained that entrepreneurship is essentially not merely an economic activity aimed at pursuing financial profit, but rather a strategic path to build an independent, empowered society capable of solving various socio-economic issues sustainably. According to him, the philosophical meaning of the word wira signifies independence, which should serve as the primary foundation for every business actor so that the community does not remain continuously dependent on government assistance schemes.

To implement this philosophy, Ahmad Fauzi introduced the PROPHETIC – Socio-Technopreneurship concept, a business model that integrates business practice and social welfare based on the utilization of modern technology while upholding the values and business system exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Through this approach, business activities are no longer focused solely on personal gain or worldly profit, but are also directed toward having spiritual value, blessings, and delivering a tangible positive social impact on the surrounding environment. This idea originated from Ahmad Fauzi’s personal concern upon completing his university studies, a post-graduation anxiety increasingly felt by many students today, given data showing that approximately 500,000 university graduates in Indonesia have not been absorbed into the workforce over the last five years.

The challenge of job availability becomes even more complex when confronted with the rate of global population growth and massive shifts in demographic structures. Citing the UN World Population Prospects report, the growing global population also triggers multidimensional crises across various sectors, ranging from food limitations, energy crises, healthcare service crises, and housing crises, to access to education and employment. In Indonesia, this condition is further exacerbated by a relatively high rate of urbanization, where statistical data shows a sharp increase in the urban population proportion from just 20% in 1980 to 53% in 2010, while the rural population declined from 80% to 47%. This demographic shift has had a significant impact on the emergence of various social and economic crises in both urban and rural areas.

The impact of these public economic problems has even reached remote areas, reflected in the proliferation of destructive habits such as online gambling and illegal online lending (pinjol). The prevalence of these phenomena indicates that public economic problems are not only triggered by a lack of daily income, but are also closely tied to low financial literacy and an inability to manage needs and make wise financial decisions. Therefore, the presence of professionally managed, transparent, and sustainable social enterprises serves as a strategic solution to empower communities through optimizing various funding instruments such as grant funds, waqf funds, and independent business profits thereby realizing long-term economic independence rather than merely offering instant fixes.

Author : Ahmad Ghifari

The Study Program of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture held its regular discussion series, entitled “The Dynamics of Javanese Literature in the Media: Creation, Works, and Changes,” on Friday, 25 September 2026. In its September edition, the discussion focused on the theme “Javanese Literature in Radio Broadcasting” and was held in Room 709, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB).

For the event, the Study Program of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture invited Titik Renggani, a senior broadcaster at RRI, theatre practitioner, and Javanese cultural preservationist from Yogyakarta. The event was attended by students from various cohorts of the Study Program of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture, as well as exchange students.

In her presentation, Titik Renggani shared her experience of the presence of literature in radio broadcasting, particularly at RRI. She discussed various aspects related to the creation of literary works, including radio, geguritan (Javanese poetry), radio magazines, features, and other forms, as well as the reading and delivery of literary works through broadcasts and the role of voice actors in broadcasting. She also highlighted various opportunities that can be explored by those interested in radio and the creative industries.

One of the points that attracted the participants’ attention was information about the audience size of RRI Yogyakarta. During the session, Titik Renggani presented data from the RRI Digital application and stated that on the day of the event, Friday, 25 September 2026, RRI Yogyakarta had approximately 208,000 listeners. According to the data she presented, this figure was higher than the audience figures recorded for RRI Jakarta and RRI Surabaya at the time.

Titik Renggani also encouraged students to continue developing their skills and creating works in their respective fields. “If I, as someone who graduated in economics, can continue creating works through broadcasting, including those related to Javanese language and literature, then you should be able to do so as well, because you are studying these fields,” she said.

Following the presentation, the event continued with a discussion session. The discussion was conducted in a serious yet relaxed atmosphere, encouraging participants to actively raise questions. The topics discussed varied, ranging from the process of creating Javanese literary works and the world of broadcasting and RRI to tips for producing engaging and high-quality works.

The discussion provided students with an opportunity to view Javanese literature not only as an object of academic study but also as part of creative practice that can be presented through various media. The experience shared by Titik Renggani demonstrated that radio can serve as a space for Javanese literature to continue to be used, developed, and introduced to the wider public.

Through this discussion, participants gained an overview of the presence and development of Javanese literature in radio and broadcasting. For students, Titik Renggani’s experience also provided insights into opportunities to develop Javanese language and literature through creative media. The discussion further demonstrated that efforts to nguri-uri (‘preserve’) and ngurip-urip (‘keep alive and enliven’) the Javanese language and literature can be pursued through various media so that they remain present and relevant amid the changing times.

Writer: Haryo Untoro

Editor: Haryo Untoro

Yogyakarta, September 2026 — Sri Wahyuningsih, S.S., M.A., a lecturer from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), presented her research on the development of a Korean–Indonesian bilingual dictionary for EPS-TOPIK learners at the ASIALEX 2026 international conference. The event was held from September 9–11, 2026, at The Jogja Hotel and Convention in Yogyakarta.

Organized by the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation in collaboration with the Asian Association for Lexicography (ASIALEX), the conference brought together lexicography researchers, academics, and practitioners from around the globe.

During the event on September 11, Sri Wahyuningsih presented a paper titled “An Analysis of Nouns in EPS-TOPIK Textbooks: Toward the Development of a Korean–Indonesian Bilingual EPS-TOPIK Dictionary.” Conducted in collaboration with Prof. Kilim Nam of Yonsei University, the study focuses on analyzing nouns in EPS-TOPIK textbooks to serve as a foundation for a Korean–Indonesian bilingual dictionary tailored specifically for prospective Indonesian migrant workers (CPMI) heading to South Korea. Based on the analysis, a total of 3,122 noun types were identified following the data extraction and filtering process.

The findings indicate that the vocabulary in EPS-TOPIK textbooks extends beyond the workplace environment, encompassing everyday life and cultural terminology as well. This suggests that prospective migrant workers require a broad range of vocabulary competence to effectively communicate and adapt while living and working in South Korea.

By analyzing 60 units from the New Standard Korean Textbook for EPS-TOPIK Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 published by HRD Korea, this study marks the initial phase in developing the Korean–Indonesian EPS-TOPIK bilingual dictionary. Beyond providing Indonesian equivalents, the planned dictionary will feature contextual usage examples, collocations, domain labels, vocabulary relevance information, and visual aids for specific lemmas. The development of this dictionary is expected to not only help learners grasp the meaning of words but also understand how this vocabulary is practically applied in everyday life and workplace contexts in South Korea.

Participation in ASIALEX 2026 is anticipated to open avenues for further discussion and collaboration in lexicography, teaching Korean for specific purposes, and the development of learning resources that better meet the needs of prospective Indonesian migrant workers.

Author: Sri Wahyuningsih