Yogyakarta, October 28, 2025 – The Arabic Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), once again celebrates a proud achievement through one of its students, Sultan Amirul Muttaqin, who successfully earned three prestigious awards in both national and regional rounds of the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur’an (MSQ) competition. Sultan’s outstanding ability to interpret and eloquently convey the messages of the Qur’an earned him recognition for his clarity, expressiveness, and emotional depth.

Sultan’s first major accomplishment came at the National MSQ Competition organized by the Qur’anic Studies Program of UIN Walisongo Semarang, where he and his team achieved 2nd Place Nationally. The UGM team delivered a powerful collaboration between the qāriʾ (reciter), the translator, and the syāriḥ (commentator), impressing the judges with their harmonious performance, strong arguments, and deep spiritual expression.

His second achievement followed at the Festival Santri Multitalent 2025, hosted by the Khaulabenazir National Community of Female Students, where Sultan once again secured 2nd Place Nationally in the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur’an category. Serving as the translator, he showcased exceptional linguistic precision and rhetorical beauty in rendering the meaning of the Qur’anic verses.

Not stopping there, Sultan also triumphed at the regional level, earning 2nd Place in the Yogyakarta and Central Java MSQ Competition, organized by the Al-Qur’an Education Institute (LPQ) Masjid As-Syuhada Yogyakarta. The event brought together participants from educational institutions, universities, and Islamic boarding schools committed to promoting Qur’anic-based da’wah.

In his reflections, Sultan emphasized that the role of the translator in the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur’an is not merely about linguistic conversion, but about reviving the soul and message of the verses so that audiences can truly feel their meaning. “Alhamdulillah, every competition is a valuable experience to deliver da’wah in a scholarly and beautiful way. This proves that students can be meaningful bridges of da’wah through intellect and language,” he shared.

These achievements not only bring honor to the UGM Arabic Study Program but also embody the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). The Study Program hopes Sultan’s accomplishments will inspire other students to continue striving for excellence, spreading the values of Islam through language, and contributing to Islamic scholarship both nationally and internationally.

Author: Sultan Amirul Muttaqin

Yogyakarta, October 22, 2025 — The Head of the History Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), Dr. Mutiah Amini, M.Hum, officially opened the History Week 2025, which carries the theme “Industry in the Flow of History.” The opening ceremony took place at the Auditorium of Soegondo Building, 7th Floor, on Wednesday (22/10), attended by students from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences as well as representatives from various student organizations within and beyond FIB UGM.

History Week is an annual event organized by the Undergraduate History Study Program of FIB UGM as part of its efforts to enhance historical learning through both academic and non-academic approaches. The program serves as a platform for students to broaden their insights, channel their creativity, and foster awareness of historical and social issues relevant to today’s society.

The implementation of History Week 2025 is the result of collaboration and initiative by the Badan Keluarga Mahasiswa Sejarah (BKMS), the student association that oversees various activities of History students within FIB UGM. As one of BKMS’s largest programs, this event is not only intended for students of the History Study Program but is also open to the public, including academics from various universities across Indonesia. Through this event, students are encouraged to actively participate in developing historical studies oriented toward contemporary issues.

One of the main series of activities in History Week 2025 is the National Student History Seminar (SSMN), which adopts the overarching theme “Industry in the Flow of Indonesian History.” The seminar is designed to provide opportunities for students from diverse disciplines who have an interest in history to develop their academic writing and discussion skills. Several selected students will present their papers directly before the seminar participants in two panel sessions. Prior to these presentations, the event will begin with an introductory lecture delivered by a keynote speaker who is an expert in industrial history.

The discussions in this seminar cover a wide range of important topics related to the development of industry in Indonesia, including the historical evolution of industry, the dynamics of local industries, the impacts of industrialization on the environment and society, the history of social movements within industry, as well as the roles of local economic figures and women in the industrialization process. Through a historical perspective, this event seeks to foster a deeper understanding of how industry has become an integral part of Indonesia’s social, economic, and cultural development.

Overall, History Week 2025 aims to encourage students to understand industrial issues from a historical perspective while raising awareness of the importance of studying national industrial history as a key to comprehending today’s industrial dynamics. Moreover, the event aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) through the strengthening of historical literacy and academic research, Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by exploring the historical development of the industrial sector, and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) which emphasizes the importance of history as the foundation for future innovation and development. Thus, History Week 2025 stands not only as an academic platform but also as a tangible contribution from UGM History students to the global agenda of sustainable development.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, September 10, 2025 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), has once again produced significant research in the field of linguistics. Dini Maulia, a doctoral student in Linguistics under the Graduate Program of Humanities, successfully defended her dissertation entitled “A Contrastive Analysis of Negation in Japanese and Indonesian.”

In her dissertation, Dini was supervised by Dr. Tatang Hariri, M.A. as the main advisor, and Dr. Y. Tri Mastoyo, M.Hum. as the co-advisor. The study aimed to compare the negation systems in Japanese and Indonesian using a theoretical contrastive analysis framework, drawing on the works of Fisiak (1980), Ke (2019), Krzeszowski (1990), and Zabrocki (1980).

The findings revealed that negation markers can be classified into two types: affixal negation and sentential negation. Furthermore, based on X-bar theory, it was found that affixal negation in both Japanese and Indonesian occupies the modifier node that describes a noun.

Through contrastive analysis, the study also identified four main factors influencing the similarities and differences in the negation systems of the two languages, namely:

1. Negation as a universal grammatical feature,

2. Language typology,

3. Categories of sentential negation, and

4. Tense systems.

This research not only contributes to theoretical linguistic studies but also aligns with the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), through the advancement of cross-cultural linguistic knowledge, and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), by fostering intercultural and interlingual understanding.

With these findings, the study is expected to build a more comprehensive model of contrastive language analysis, enriching linguistic scholarship while strengthening UGM’s role in producing world-class academics.

[Public Relations Office, FIB UGM – Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, 15/8/2025 – Two lecturers from the Master’s Program in Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Faruk Tripoli, S.U., and Dr. phil. Ramayda Akmal, S.S., M.A., launched their latest book Naratologi Klasik through a discussion event held at SaRang Art, Books & Coffee on Friday, August 15, 2025. The event was part of the Forum Bakal Buku program, which provides a platform for authors and publishers to present their upcoming works.

In a discussion moderated by Heru, the authors emphasized the importance of narratology as one of the pillars of literary studies. Prof. Faruk likened narratology to a camera capable of “shooting” and “zooming,” helping readers to grasp a story in its entirety. “No matter how much we analyze the content through various approaches, narratology allows us to better understand the story,” he remarked.

Moderator Heru added that narratology makes readers more attentive to narrative techniques rather than merely the content of a story. He illustrated this by showing how the 1998 events could be understood differently through direct testimony compared to a novel addressing the same events. “One of the greatest mistakes literature students make is to immediately focus on the content, while narratology actually explains how the story is conveyed,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ramayda Akmal stressed that the way a story is told often carries ideological weight. “The foundation of narratology lies in two things: first, studying the content of the story in literary works, and second, examining how the story is presented. It is in this mode of presentation that political elements often emerge,” she noted.

The discussion was interactive, with an enthusiastic audience engaging directly with the authors. The presence of Naratologi Klasik is expected to make a significant contribution to enriching literary theory in Indonesia, while also reinforcing the position of narratology as a critical tool for reading literary texts within their social, cultural, and political contexts.

Author: Marsya Kamila/Public/Public Relations, Master’s Program in Literature

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), proudly celebrates another remarkable achievement through one of its alumni, Andri Fernanda. A graduate of the Master’s Program in Literary Studies at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, Andri has successfully earned the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship—one of the world’s most renowned academic exchange programs sponsored by the United States government. The program aims to promote intercultural understanding through education and research.

Andri will pursue his doctoral studies at the University of Washington, USA, which is recognized as one of the Public Ivies—a group of elite public universities in the United States that provide world-class education and research standards. This opportunity not only highlights Andri’s academic excellence but also underscores the importance of education in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

In addition to receiving the Fulbright Scholarship, Andri has also secured additional funding from the University of Washington in the form of a Full Tuition Waiver. This financial support will allow him to fully concentrate on his studies without the burden of tuition fees, further emphasizing the role of educational institutions in providing accessible education.

Andri’s consistency is evident in his academic track record. During his Master’s studies at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, he was also awarded an international thesis grant from the faculty, which enabled him to conduct his thesis research at Monash University, Australia. This experience not only enriched his academic journey but also enhanced his research skills and intercultural competence.

Starting in Autumn 2025, Andri will commence his doctoral studies in the Department of Asian Languages and Literature, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Washington. His journey is a testament to the power of education in transforming lives and building global connections. It is hoped that Andri’s success will inspire students of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, to continue growing, contributing, and collaborating on the international stage.

The Fulbright Program is known for its rigorous selection process, and Andri’s achievement reflects his dedication and perseverance. It serves as a reminder of the importance of pursuing higher education and the opportunities it can create for both individuals and communities. Education is a fundamental human right and a key driver of sustainable development, making Andri’s accomplishment a significant milestone not only for himself but also for UGM and Indonesia.

As Andri embarks on this new chapter of his academic career, he carries with him the hopes and aspirations of many young scholars. His journey will undoubtedly contribute to the advancement of knowledge in his field and foster cultural exchange between Indonesia and the United States. The Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, takes great pride in supporting students like Andri, who embody the spirit of academic excellence and global citizenship.

In conclusion, Andri Fernanda’s achievement in earning the Fulbright Scholarship is a shining example of how education can open doors to new opportunities and foster international collaboration. It is a reminder that with determination and support, students can achieve their dreams and make a positive impact on the world.

[Public Relation, FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]