Through assistive technology devices and special learning software, students can access learning materials more easily and effectively. This ensures that no student is left behind in the quest for quality education for all.

Technology also has great potential in supporting and advancing education at various levels, and can contribute to achieving various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) collaborated with FIB Gadjah Mada University (UGM) on Wednesday, January 31 2024, introduced a learning tool called LASSI as an assessment tool design in the form of a survey format used to identify areas of strength and areas which requires improvement in students’ study habits and attitudes toward learning.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamisah Arifin in the discussion forum explained that through a research plan entitled “Utilising Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) as a Predictive Tool for Strategic Prediction of ESL/EFL Student Performance”, there are 9 components in the assessment in LASSI to identify learning problems that arise faced by students include, Self-Regulation, Study Aids, Motivation, and Time Management. Then in this research it is hoped that LASSI can be used to assess the effectiveness as a predictive tool for ESL/ EFL student performance, as well as identifying the key factors and study strategies measured that correlate most strongly with ESL/ EFL student success.

Furthermore, there are various responses from Dr. Suhandano, Dr. Sailal Arimi, Dr. Ni Gusti Ayu Roselani and other FIB lecturers regarding the use of LASSI which might be implemented in various language teaching, not only English but Indonesian, Javanese and so on.

A joint research plan between UiTM and FIB UGM through other fields of Linguistics such as Sociolinguistics and Corpus Linguistics was formulated to examine more deeply the discourses in Indonesian and Malaysian News relating to the environment and language variations. This is an example of collaboration between educational institutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are in accordance with the 4th pillar, namely quality education to strengthen solidarity and partnership.

For many people, student exchange is one of the most coveted things. Just like Made Widiadnyani, a student of the English Department from the class of 2020, who had the valuable opportunity to participate in a student exchange program at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) while also being an awardee of the JASSO (Japan Student Service Organization) scholarship for the fall semester. During her time at TUFS, she took various courses such as Management and Culture in Japan, Introduction to American Short Story, Intercultural Communication, Thai Society, Culture, and Literature in Film, and Social Interaction in Culturally Diversifying Japan.

Being part of this program has allowed her to have new experiences and knowledge in various aspects. For instance, she observed that “on time” has become a norm and habit in Japanese society. During lectures, Made noticed that the professors always started classes on time and completed the material or discussions as scheduled. It was common to see professors in the classroom 5 – 10 minutes before the class started, ensuring that the class always began right after the bell signaling the change of class periods. Additionally, every November, the campus hosts the Gaigosai Festival. For a week, there is no lectures as students actively participates in the festival such as organizing performances, selling food from various countries, and even serving as festival committees.

Made’s experience was not only filled with pleasant moments, especially since she lived in a country where English is not the primary language spoken daily, and very few people can communicate in English. Initially, this posed a challenge for Made, who lacked proficiency in Japanese and had to handle various documents in the language. However, this did not dampen her spirits as she began to learn some Japanese vocabulary commonly used in daily activities through Google Translate and her Japanese friends.

In addition to the mentioned experiences, Made also encountered several culture shocks. One notable observation was the passengers’ preference for maintaining silence when using public transportation. Most of them chose to read books or play with their phones until arriving in their destination. Moreover, supermarkets in Japan typically implemented self-service payment systems – from scanning products to packing them into shopping bags, everything was done independently by the customers.

Made Widiadnyani’s exchange experience was not just a physical journey abroad but also a meaningful inner journey. For Made, it was not only her first international adventure but also a significant achievement accomplished independently. The importance of this experience lies not only in the destination or activities involved but in the entire process that included struggle, perseverance, and determination to achieve goals. Despite facing several failures in previous attempts to secure an exchange program opportunity, Made never gave up.

The key message from Made’s story is that failure does not always mean the end of everything. On the contrary, failure can serve as a stepping stone to success. In essence, as long as we can view failure as a learning opportunity and remain resilient, we still have the chance to achieve our dreams.

On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences recieved a high school visit from SMK Mutiara Terpadu, Sukabumi from 09:00 – 11:00 AM in the Auditorium Soegondo, 7th Floor. In the opening speech delivered by the representative of SMK Mutiara Terpadu, it was mentioned that this visit focused on the similiar principle between both instituions in preserving culture.

Interestingly, the strong principle of upholding local wisdom by SMK Mutiara Terpadu was vividly reflected in the enthusiasm of the students who asked about various aspects related to culture, from the definition of culture to the origin of the name “Gadjah Mada” in the university’s name.

As usual, the visit ended with a photo session with all participants. The warm atmosphere could be easily felt and seen from the closeness among the participants who eagerly interacted with each other.

Master of Archaeology Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, is organizing an Open House event scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 1, 2024, from 15:30 to 17:00 Western Indonesian Time (GMT+7). This activity aims to introduce the available programs in the Master of Archaeology study program to prospective students. The event is conducted online, which enables participants to join and participate despite their location.

This event is one of the forms of responsibility in rthe realization of SDGs 4: “Quality Education,” which emphasizes the importance of providing equal and inclusive access to quality education and promoting academic opportunities for prospective students. Thus, the Open House does not only create an opportunity to introduce the Master of Archaeology study program with its interesting variety of programs but also supports the goals of sustainable education.

Participants can join this activity through the following link: bit.ly/OpenHouseS2ArkeologiUGM

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences has many talented young students whose potential has been recognized by many people, one of them is Alya Ranti Azzahra. The student who is often called Alya, has succeeded in publishing 4 printed books which have been distributed on Gramedia, one of them has been filmed in cinemas & the other one has also been serialized on Genflix. This young woman from West Java is currently studying at the Indonesian Language and Literature department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University. At just 22 years old, she has already achieved many achievements. She admitted that she had loved reading and writing since childhood. She often took part in competitions and won. That is what then motivated her to take her writing talent more seriously.

In 2018, the rise ofphenomenon made Alya interested in writing and publishing work on that platform. Her first work, entitled The Other Side, has so far been read 23 million times. Since then, her works began to be recognized by readers and she began to write consistently. In 2020, the novel entitled The Other Side was published by Pastel Books, PT Mizan Pustaka. The novel was then filmed nationally in Indonesian cinemas by PT. Lingkar Karya Pratama and broadcast on March 17th 2022. In addition, her work entitled Broken Memories was broadcast on Genflix and succeeded in occupying the second highest position in the most watched series.

Alya admits that she feels happy when writing. According to her, she can express whatever is in her head without having to communicate it directly. “Because my mind is quite full and I like to imagine many things, I feel that writing is a ‘container’ for me. On the other hand, I think writing is like sharing feelings with other people. I can also create a new world. Also, I can express myself through the characters I create in the story.” She said on January 25th 2024 when she was asked about the reason why she liked writing so much. Furthermore, she also shared several tips for writing and producing work, such as:

• Always write from heart! It sounds classic, but anything written from the heart will definitely reach other hearts. Write sincerely and position yourself as if you are the character you are writing about.
• Consistent! Consistency in writing stories is really necessary. Especially as a digital writer. Readers are more likely to read our writing when we consistently write stories.
• Want to learn. You can start by learning about writing from writing books, writing seminars, and writers who have written before to find out writing tips. Apart from that, you also want to learn to develop yourself. Because now social media is developing very quickly.
• Read lots of books! To become a writer, of course you have to read a lot of books to find inspiration and increase your vocabulary.
• Be open to all suggestions and criticism, often chat with lots of people, be more sensitive to the environment around us because many new and brilliant ideas come from it.

In closing, Alya gives advice to the prospective writers that when we decide to become writers, we give our whole body and soul to the writing. We have to really like the world of writing. Write a story honestly and from the heart. Always be open to suggestions and criticism, often chat with people, & never stop learning. Just have fun writing, but don’t forget to come from the heart! She hopes that her journey to achieve success can motivate and provide valuable lessons for many people.