Betari Ardya Febbyaliza, a 2023 student of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), won Second Place in the Shodou Taikai Isshoni Tanomimashou competition organized online by the Japanese Literature Student Association of the Faculty of Cultural Studies, Universitas Brawijaya. The competition was attended by 29 participants from various universities across Indonesia. The winners were announced through Zoom and the official Isshoni Tanomimashou social media account on Saturday, 23 May 2026. For this achievement, Betari received an e-certificate and a cash award.

In preparation for the competition, Betari received guidance from Akbar Rizqi Dhea Habibi, S.S., M.A., a lecturer of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at UGM who also teaches the Shuuji (Japanese Calligraphy) course during the Even Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Year. The judging criteria included stroke order, the proper use of tomaru, haneru, and harau techniques, the aesthetic quality of the characters, and character proportion.

This achievement reflects the continuous development of BKJ UGM students’ competencies in Japanese language and culture. Through the Shuuji (Japanese Calligraphy) course, students not only learn the techniques of Japanese character writing but also develop an appreciation for the aesthetics, precision, and discipline that form an integral part of Japanese cultural traditions.

[Barra Taura Nursaid]

Jakarta, May 29, 2026 – Students of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada once again achieved remarkable accomplishments at The 24th K-Speech Contest organized by the K-Speech Eloquence Association Indonesia at Korea 360 Hall, Lotte Shopping Avenue, Jakarta.

The competition was attended by students from various universities across Indonesia who demonstrated their Korean language proficiency through speech contests in several categories. Through this event, participants not only sharpened their foreign language skills, but also developed self-confidence, public communication abilities, and teamwork within an international competitive environment.

In this year’s competition, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM sent a total of 33 students consisting of 5 individual category participants, 1 big group team, and 7 small group teams. The big group team successfully won 1st Place in its category. In addition, Group Team 2 consisting of Justin Liepangi, Jemima Abigail Tirza Sitindaon, and Mila Najatul Maula secured 2nd Place. Another achievement was earned by Group Team 6, consisting of Farida Tiara Limbong, Cintya Nurhaliza, and Lintang Rangkep Cahyani, who received a Special Prize from 한국관광공사 (Korea Tourism Organization/KTO). 

The participants from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM also shared their impressions after participating in the competition. Justin stated, “I am very happy because this experience became a valuable opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone. First of all, thank you so much to Tirza and Maul for taking the time to practice amidst all of our other activities. Hopefully, this experience can become a stepping stone for us to grow into better individuals in the future.” Tirza also expressed, “It was an unforgettable experience because this was my first speech contest, and I am grateful that we were able to win.” Meanwhile, Mila shared, “Participating in this speech contest was one of the best decisions I made this year because it gave me the courage to step out of my comfort zone. It was a truly unforgettable first experience, and I am grateful that we were able to bring home an award. Thank you so much to Tirza and Justin for dedicating so much time and effort despite your busy schedules. Hopefully, this achievement will become a stepping stone for all of us to continue growing into better individuals in the future.” 

Similar impressions were also shared by Farida, Cintya, and Lintang, who received the special award from KTO. They expressed that the competition provided a memorable new experience while teaching them the importance of courage, trust in the process, and teamwork. They also conveyed their gratitude to KTO for the trust and valuable recognition given to them. 

Not only active students, but another proud achievement was also earned by Pramesti Rifna Saputri, an alumna of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM, who won 1st Place in the individual category of the competition. Beyond the awards achieved, all participating students deserve appreciation for their hard work and dedication in preparing for this competition. 

The participation of students from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM in The 24th K-Speech Contest reflects their competitive Korean language proficiency and strong enthusiasm to continue growing in a global environment. Through this experience, the participants not only brought home achievements, but also valuable lessons that support the development of academic competencies and public speaking soft skills. 

[Aura Adiba Wijaya Litianko]

Yogyakarta, June 6, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Gadjah Mada University is once again reaching out to students with the Sibuya (Cultural Sciences Breakfast) program. This program is designed to support the final exams (UAS) for the second semester of the 2025/2026 academic year by providing free breakfast. Sibuya provides 200 servings daily, distributed via a coupon system on June 6, 11, 15, and 18. Each coupon is worth Rp13,000.00 and can be redeemed at any food stall in the Sastra Cafeteria. Sibuya will also take place on June 10 and 17, with boxed meals distributed in front of the Soegondo Building. 

Sibuya is a program initiated by FIB since 2024. To date, Sibuya has consistently supported the well-being of FIB students during midterm and final exam weeks by providing free, nutritious breakfasts. By ensuring adequate nutrition, FIB hopes to ensure students are in top condition when taking exams. This is part of FIB UGM’s commitment to creating a friendly and healthy campus environment.  

Through this program, FIB UGM contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger, by ensuring students have access to sufficient food and nutrition so they do not go hungry during exams, and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, by implementing the Health Promoting University (HPU) program to ensure nutritional needs are met. This program also aligns with SDG 4: Quality Education, as maintaining physical health and sustained focus enables students to perform optimally during exams to achieve high-quality academic results.

Through the consistent implementation of the Sibuya program, FIB UGM demonstrates that academic support extends beyond the classroom to include tangible care for students’ physical well-being. With their nutritional needs met, it is hoped that students can navigate exam week with full focus and achieve optimal results.

[Humas FIB UGM, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]

Thursday, February 24th, 2026, marks the graduation day for ten students from the English Department. Those graduating students are Afra Sausan Putri, S.S., Cecilia Ade Natasya, S.S., Jardin Urbania Basundoro, S.S., Shimping Fitriana Dwi Fatmawati S.S., Saidatunnisa, S.S., Khairunisa Diva Dijah Adji, S.S., Maura Thirza Azzahra, S.S., Safira Dwihapsari Pratiwi, S.S., Florinesya Zahwa Raihania, S.S., and Yosafira Alma Kartika, S.S. The graduation ceremony took place in Grha Sabha Pramana, Universitas Gadjah Mada, before the English Department graduates moved to Poerbatjarakra building in Fakultas Ilmu Budaya (FIB) to attend the Mangayubagya ceremony. 

After the Mangayubagya ceremony, two English Department graduates, Maura and Florinesya, are pleased to share a glimpse of their college experiences and emotions amidst the moment that marks the turning point of their lives. Maura stated that she is relieved now that she has finally concluded her journey in college, yet she couldn’t shake the bittersweet feelings that enveloped her. “Because we’re going to be separated from our college friends—but at least it’s over,” she said. 

For Florinesya herself, gratitude and delight took hold of her on this special day. She explained that witnessing a large number of people who celebrate their graduation today makes her feel grateful to be part of those graduates. Florinesya also mentioned that her journey was a tough one, but she is deeply thankful for having met a lot of supportive people in the English Department. “The learning environment is also very pleasant; the people are very helpful—even though it’s full of ups and downs,” she admitted. 

Revisiting her memories of college, the biggest struggle for Florinesya was to deal with her uptight schedule, especially balancing between academic and organization activities. “Sometimes I feel like I can’t keep up with my classmate, whose progress is far ahead of me, since I also have to focus on events outside class,” she confessed. Maura, too, mentioned academics as the biggest challenge for her, “In order to keep up [in class], I had to study harder.”

Nevertheless, a lot of happy memories filled their college experience. Maura mentioned that friendship is the one thing that rendered her experience happy. “Especially in FIB, the environment is very tolerant. I think we can be ourselves here without being judged by others.” As for Florinesya, she mentioned English Days, the Dies Natalis of the English Department, as the event that left quite an impression on her during college days. “Because I was the head of English Days two years ago, and I found many helpful people during that,” she recalled. 

In writing their final thesis as a graduation requirement, both Florinesya and Maura are driven by their interest in a specific literature field. Maura shared that her thesis, The Subversive Child and Imaginative Power: Challenging Authority in Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories, stems from her particular interest in children’s literature. Florinesya also admits to enjoying the topic of her thesis, Mapping the Crisis of Witnessing: A Dialectic Vicarious Trauma Analysis of the Contradictory Narrative in Colleen Hoover’s Verity. She then revealed an impressive fact: it took her only three weeks to finish her thesis. 

As college has ended and they’re preparing to take the next step in their lives, Maura and Florinesya shared the same plan for the future. Both of them are planning to further their education in graduate school. “I like studying, so while my passion to learn is still there, I want to take a master’s program immediately,” Flo confessed. As for Maura, she planned to gain job experience first while looking for a master’s scholarship abroad. 

In whatever path they take, we hope the English Department graduates can flourish and thrive in their own way. Here’s to a bright future. Congratulations!

Penulis: Gulma Zahra Auradatu

Typing Javanese script on digital devices is often not as easy as imagined. Instead of displaying the expected letters, the screen often displays a row of blank squares or tofu, a sign that the font is not legible. This problem is not isolated. In addition to font limitations, the differences in typing systems between the Latin alphabet and Javanese script also make it difficult for users to adapt. Furthermore, keyboard layouts vary across operating systems, from Windows to Macintosh to Android. This directly complicates the use and preservation of Javanese script, especially in the digital realm.

A number of Javanese script fonts are already available and can be used freely, such as NyK Ngayogyan and NyK Ngayogyan Jejeg, developed by the Yogyakarta Special Region Cultural Office. However, the problems don’t stop at visual appearance. Without a uniform keyboard system, users continue to face obstacles in their daily typing practices.

This situation prompted the development of a Javanese script keyboard system based on the Indonesian script keyboard (SNI 9048). This system was designed with reference to the Serat Wulangreh manuscript as a cultural basis, while also being adapted to the needs of use on various digital devices. Through this standardization, it is hoped that uniformity in typing Javanese script will be achieved, eliminating the need for users to adapt to different systems.

This keyboard system is now available for various devices and is freely accessible to the public. Users can download and install it according to their operating system, whether Windows, Macintosh, or Android. The Javanese script keyboard system can be downloaded from https://wongsayuk.webnode.page/my-work/ or https://wongsaayuk.webnode.page by selecting the download menu. On the page, there is a “Javanese Aksara Keyboard” section, then select the SNI Nataksara system in various formats depending on the device: .exe file for Windows, .dmg file for Macintosh, and .apk file for Android.

After downloading and installing, users are advised to restart their device if the system is not immediately usable. An installation guide (pitoedoeh) is also provided to facilitate the installation process and ensure optimal system use.

Once the system is installed, understanding the keyboard layout is the next important step. Users need to understand the differences between the SNI 9048-based system and the device’s native system, particularly on Windows devices. These differences can be seen in the image below.

The implementation of this standardized keyboard system is a crucial step in addressing the various technical challenges users have faced. Furthermore, the presence of Javanese script in the digital space serves not only as a visual element but also as part of efforts to maintain cultural continuity amidst technological advancements.

Ultimately, preserving Javanese script is not simply a matter of maintaining it; it also requires the courage to develop and adapt it to the times. Continuous support from various parties is key to ensuring that Javanese script not only remains alive but also remains present and empowered within the ever-changing digital ecosystem.

Author : Haryo Untoro

Editor : Haryo Untoro

Bibliography

Prasaja, S.A. (t.t.) Papan Tombol Aksara Djawa Versi SNI 9048. Wongsayuk. https://wongsayuk.webnode.page/my-work/

Prasaja, S.A. (t.t.) Papan Tombol Aksara Djawa Versi Windows. Wongsayuk. https://wongsayuk.webnode.page/my-work/