Monday, October 6, 2025 – SMA Al Azhar Syifa Budi Pekanbaru II held an educational visit to the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB). The event aimed to introduce the Faculty of Cultural Sciences and promote the importance of education in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The visit started at 9:00 AM and ended at 12:00 PM, featuring a series of informative sessions and engaging activities.

The event took place in the Poerbatjaraka Auditorium and was officially opened by the Public Relations Officer of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, who welcomed students and teachers from SMA Al Azhar Syifa Budi Pekanbaru II. The welcome speech emphasized the importance of education in fostering cultural awareness and understanding among the younger generation. The Public Relations Officer also highlighted the role of FIB UGM in promoting cultural studies and its commitment to supporting educational initiatives.

After the opening, a representative from SMA Al Azhar Syifa Budi Pekanbaru II delivered a speech expressing gratitude for the opportunity to visit the esteemed faculty. The representative emphasized the importance of such visits in broadening students’ horizons and inspiring them to pursue higher education. The speech uplifted the audience’s spirit and strengthened the value of educational collaboration between the institutions.

Public Relations of FIB UGM presented information about various programs and research initiatives offered by the faculty. The presentation covered topics such as cultural heritage, literature, and the significance of interdisciplinary studies in understanding cultural dynamics. Students were encouraged to ask questions, leading to an interactive session that fostered curiosity and engagement.

A question and answer session followed the presentation, allowing students to delve deeper into the discussed topics. Students asked about the faculty’s programs, career opportunities in cultural studies, and the impact of education on cultural preservation. Faculty representatives responded in ways that further increased students’ interest in pursuing education in the field of cultural sciences.

After the informative session in the auditorium, students were invited to tour the faculty. The tour included visits to the Mandala Majapahit Archaeological Museum and the Javanese Heritage collection. Students showed great enthusiasm for the rich cultural artifacts and historical exhibits, which provided a tangible connection to the subjects they had learned about during the presentation. The tour concluded with a group photo session in the GSP (Grha Sabha Pramana) area, where students gathered to capture the memorable moment.

This visit not only enriched students’ knowledge but also inspired them to consider further studies in cultural sciences. The event affirmed the commitment of both institutions to advancing education and fostering a deeper understanding of cultural heritage among the younger generation.

[Public Relations FIB UGM, Muhammad Hafidz Haikal Amirza]

Yogyakarta, September 27, 2025 – The collaboration between the Arabic Literature Student Association (Ikmasa) UGM and the Department of Village Community Development of BEM KM UGM brought forth an inspiring event titled the SEDASA Educational Talkshow (Suara Pemuda untuk Kemajuan Desa / Youth Voices for Village Advancement), as part of the Gemilang Desa 2025 series. Held at the Poerbatjaraka Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, the event was lively and full of enthusiasm, attended by high school students as well as university students from across Indonesia.

The talk show featured distinguished speakers, including Joko Susilo, Founder of Gunungkidul Menginspirasi and Head of Training and Consultancy at the Nalar Institute; Prof. Irfan Dwidya Prijambada, M.Eng., Ph.D., Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture UGM; and keynote speaker KPH H. Yudanegara, Ph.D., Head of the Office of Village Community Empowerment, Population, and Civil Registration of Yogyakarta Special Region. The session was moderated by Antonia Elena Listya Araminta, Environmental Ambassador of DIY 2025, who guided the discussion warmly and interactively.

This activity served as a vital dialogue space to address modern challenges faced by villages, ranging from limited access to information, insufficient utilization of technology, to the lack of open dialogue between young people and community leaders. Through the talk show, participants gained direct insights from real-life case studies and practical strategies to optimize village potential. This aligns with the spirit of the Kongres Abdi Desa 2025, carrying the theme “Light from the Village, Weaving Hopes for Indonesia.”

General coordinator of the event, Faris Zakiy Ramadhan, highlighted the remarkable enthusiasm of the participants from the very beginning. “Today we will hold the second and third activities, namely the Gemilang Desa Competition and the SEDASA Talkshow. The Gemilang Desa Competition successfully carried out its series of contests, with the final day being held today. Thank you to the 377 registrants of the Gemilang Desa Competition, which consists of 12 teams in the Business Plan Competition, 101 teams in the Essay Competition, and 26 participants in the Poster Competition. Today we will hold the final round featuring the top 10 individuals and 10 teams from each branch, representing their institutions from all over Indonesia,” he explained.

Through this talk show, young people were encouraged not only to understand village issues but also to foster awareness of realizing village potential and addressing the challenges villages face in the modern era. Moreover, the event created an inclusive and interactive platform to share perspectives, innovative ideas, and cross-regional experiences.

This initiative also contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in reducing inequality (SDG 10), improving the quality of education (SDG 4), and strengthening sustainable communities (SDG 11). Villages are positioned not merely as objects of development but as sources of inspiration and drivers of national progress without losing their cultural identity.

The festive atmosphere peaked when the session concluded with the announcement of the winners of the Gemilang Desa competitions. The participants responded with great enthusiasm, taking home new inspiration on how the real contributions of young people can be the key to advancing villages. With the spirit of collaboration, Gemilang Desa 2025 proved that Indonesian students and youth can play an active role in building villages that are both competitive and sustainable.

[Public Relations of Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, Candra Solihin]

Monday, September 29, 2025 – The American Studies Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a Focused Writing Workshop on Monday, September 29, 2025, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM (WIB) via Zoom Meeting. The workshop was led by Dr. Ashika Prajnya Paramita, M.A. and attended by undergraduate, master’s, doctoral students, as well as staff members of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences.

The workshop was designed to provide a supportive writing community where participants could focus on completing various academic projects, ranging from theses, articles, assignments, to research papers. Through this shared writing space, participants were encouraged to set clear writing goals, stay motivated, and engage in productive writing through structured sprints.

The workshop format consisted of two writing sessions, each lasting 40 minutes with a 10-minute break in between. In addition to the writing sessions, Dr. Ashika also facilitated discussions on the challenges faced by participants in their writing process and offered reviews of their works.

This activity is planned to be held regularly every month, serving as a sustainable platform to foster productive writing habits within the academic community of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM.

[Public Relation of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, September 19, 2025– The vibrant atmosphere filled the Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas (GIK) UGM as the Gamarupa Art Exhibition took place from September 14–20, 2025. Organized by the UGM Fine Arts Unit, the exhibition became a platform for artistic appreciation and a stage for students from various faculties, including those from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM, to present their works.

One of the highlights was “One Thousand and Wish” by Claudius Genesius Hartoko, a student from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, FIB UGM. The artwork tells the story of Sadako Sasaki, a 12-year-old girl who suffered from leukemia caused by the Hiroshima bombing. Inspired by the legend of a thousand paper cranes, Claudius’ piece symbolizes resilience and hope in the face of hardship.

In addition to Claudius, several other FIB UGM students contributed their creative works to the exhibition, including Marinie Alina Fadila, Nisa Safira, Devina Hanin Natasyha, H. D. Putri, Wanita Perkasa Bijaksana, Hida Cintia Putri Nugroho, Sabrina Azmi Shafa Az Zahro, and Rania Adawia Yasin. Their presence enriched the exhibition and demonstrated how humanities students can merge cultural insight with visual art to convey powerful messages.

Throughout the week-long event, visitors not only enjoyed the displayed artworks but also engaged in a series of activities such as the opening ceremony, talk shows, artwork discussions, workshops, and collaborative drawing sessions. The open-for-public event attracted enthusiastic audiences and created an interactive space between artists, students, and the community.

The exhibition highlights that FIB UGM students are not only focused on studying culture, language, and history but are also capable of expressing ideas through visual art. Their participation reflects the creative spirit of FIB UGM and its meaningful contribution to the public sphere.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, September 11, 2025 – The Center for Language and Literature Development, under the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, through the Language Office of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, held the UKBI Adaptive Trial on Thursday (9/11/2025). The event took place at Riss Hotel Malioboro, Yogyakarta, from 07.30 to 16.00 WIB.

The program aimed to test the Indonesian Language Proficiency Test (UKBI) questions that had previously been validated in the standardization process. UKBI is a national standardized test designed to measure Indonesian language proficiency, both spoken and written.

The event opened with remarks from the Head of the Center for Language and Literature Development or the Head of the Language Office, followed by technical guidance delivered by the UKBI team. Throughout the day, participants took part in two trial sessions: the first in the morning and the second in the afternoon.

This activity was attended by a wide range of participants, including lecturers and university students, high school and junior high school teachers and students, researchers, journalists, hotel staff, education office employees, translators, and legal practitioners. From Universitas Gadjah Mada, two Arabic Literature students from the 2023 cohort, Muhammad Candra Solihin and Pandhita Hapsari, also took part in the event. Their participation highlights the important role of young generations in maintaining and enhancing the quality of the Indonesian language.

It is expected that the results of this trial will provide valuable input for improving UKBI questions in the future, making them more adaptive and reflective of comprehensive standards of Indonesian language proficiency.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]