Studying abroad is a dream for many students including one from English Studies Program UGM, Benedicta Angie. Since childhood, she had been curious about how people live their lives abroad. As a result, she had been actively searching for an opportunity to study abroad. Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA), a program that is funded by the government that gives both vocational and undergraduate students a chance to study abroad in great universities across the world for one semester, was the perfect opportunity for Angie to make her dream come true. After a long selection process, Angie was successfully enrolled in IISMA fully funded program at Korea University, Republic of Korea (South Korea). 

During her stay in Korea University, Angie was enrolled in four courses: Media and Popular Culture in Korea, Criminology, Beginner’s Korean II, and Introduction to Applied Linguistics. One of the most interesting things she spotted while studying in Korea was the Korean students’ competitiveness. Angie realised this difference when she compared her learning experience in Criminology class, which is dominated by Korean students, with other classes that are mostly taken by international students. 

“In class, the local students were not very active in asking and answering questions, they are rather very quiet. But after going through the midterm exam, you can feel how serious they had been studying,” she stated, “Our professor curved our final grades, and must I be honest with you, it was very hard to keep up with them. The contrast is very visible to me, because in other courses, where most students are international students, the class dynamics and competitiveness are not different from the one that I have here in UGM.”

Overall, Angie enjoyed her academic journey in Korea. The classes were fun albeit challenging, and the professors were very helpful. She was a little bit disappointed because she was unable to join any clubs due to her short visiting period. However, she was still able to socialise and made friends through project groups and the buddy association gatherings. 

Besides in-class activity, Angie did many activities to immerse herself in South Korean culture. She visited many palaces, museums, art galleries, and festivals. Most of those places were free of charge, especially on Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving). The people were also very welcoming. Despite the language barrier, they tried their best to understand the foreign students.

From the exchange, aside from academics and multicultural insights, Angie learned to be patient to herself. This is a valuable insight that she would not have gained if she had not studied abroad in Korea. She stated, “Being in my comfort zone in Indonesia has made me forget that everyday is my first day of living. Sometimes I forget that as a human, I will make mistakes, there will be discomfort, and that life is not perfect. I learned so much that if I want to move forward, I must be patient with myself and enjoy the process.” 

After finishing the exchange program, Angie planned to finish her studies in time and enroll herself for a master’s degree abroad. In the meantime, she was eager to help friends who hope to go abroad by giving them advice that can help them with the preparation process. Aside from that, she also planned to use the knowledge she gained from the exchange program, especially Korean language, to fulfil her dream as a translator.

[Bachelor of English Literature, Sekar Ajiningsih]

One of the English Studies Program students, Azizah Putri Chandra Kusuma, spent a whole semester at Siena, Italy as an IISMA awardee. IISMA is a study abroad exchange program held by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), which offers students to study in highly reputable universities from all around the world for one semester.

Azizah was eager to participate in this program because going abroad has been her dream since she was young. Due to financial reasons, she never had been able to take it into action. Upon discovering IISMA, Azizah thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to accomplish her dreams due to the great range of expenses the program offers. After going through a rigorous selection process, Azizah was finally declared as one of the awardees.

Azizah was very enthusiastic about the opportunity of studying abroad in Italy. She said, “Studying in Siena, Italy, as an IISMA awardee has been nothing short of transformative. Being in Italy means that the experience will be beyond just attending classes. It’s about immersing myself in a completely different academic environment and embracing the beauty of Italian cultures.”

During her academic journey in Italy, Azizah had an opportunity to collaborate with many other international students. This opportunity broadened her perspective and improved her communication skills. Besides the opportunity to study with many students from all over the world, Azizah also found the education system in Italy particularly interesting. In Italy, students have to take an oral exam in addition to the typical written exam. The oral exam is a one-on-one session with the professors discussing what students have learned during the class.

Beyond academics, Azizah also spent her time immersed with Italian culture. Siena was full of charming medieval streets and architecture rich in history. Azizah was particularly fond of Piazza del Campo. She used to sit in its front yard to have discussions with friends while enjoying local cuisines, such as pizza or gelato. Azizah noted that Siena differs in atmosphere from other big cities in Italy—it offers warmer and more intimate ambiance. The locals were friendly and welcoming towards Azizah, despite her struggles at communicating with the Italian language.

For Azizah, IISMA was a life-changing experience that had taught her valuable lessons inside and outside of the classroom. “Studying in Siena with classes that are mostly beyond my study field in English Literature has given me numerous insights that taught me to analyze topics from multiple perspectives and engage in discussion with confidence,” Azizah stated, “I also learned to appreciate cultural differences and embrace diverse environments, which also taught me the importance of cultural sensitivity or understanding that what is normal in one culture may be different in another.”

Azizah also noted that the exchange experience had increased her independence and resourcefulness. She also realised that her stay in Italy has also helped her improve her proficiency in Italian. Azizah was grateful to be participating in IISMA, which had become a journey of self-discovery as a learner with a mission to be an ambassador of Indonesian culture.

After completing IISMA, Azizah planned to apply what she had learned during her exchange program in her academic and professional journey. For short-term planning, Azizah was excited to help fellow students who also want to study abroad but unable to afford preparation courses by being an IELTS mentor without charging a fee. For long-term planning, Azizah hoped to enrol in a master degree program abroad in order to further broaden her horizons. She mentioned, “Ultimately, this exchange has given me the motivation to pursue bigger goals, and I am excited to know where this experience will lead me next.”

[S1 Sastra Inggris, Sekar Ajiningsih]

Yogyakarta, 26/3/2025 – Pandhita Hapsari, a student of Arabic Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has once again achieved a remarkable accomplishment at the national level. In the National Da’i Competition, that was held as part of the Kampus Ramadhan Nurul Huda 1446 H program, by the Nurul Huda Mosque at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), Pandhita succeeded in winning second place.

This competition was participated in by talented young preachers from various universities across Indonesia. It consisted of two rounds: a preliminary round conducted online through the submission of preaching videos, and a final round where the six best participants performed live at the Nurul Huda Mosque.

In the tightly contested final, Pandhita delivered a sermon on the theme “Islam as a Religion of Love: Reinterpreting the Teachings of Islam as a Mercy to All Creation to Create Harmony in Synergy with Modern Advancements.” Her sermon received high praise from the judges for not only showcasing eloquence in preaching but also presenting a fresh perspective on how Islam, as a religion of compassion, can adapt to modern developments without losing its fundamental values.

Pandhita’s success in securing second place in this competition is a testament to her dedication and hard work in the field of Islamic preaching. As an Arabic Study Program student, she is able to contextualize Islamic teachings with a deep understanding of the language, allowing her to deliver messages that are clear, inspiring, and relevant to the audience nowadays.

This achievement is hoped to serve as an inspiration for other students to continue contributing to Islamic preaching and the preservation of Islamic values in the modern era. Furthermore, Pandhita’s success also affirms that the younger generation plays a crucial role in spreading the teachings of Islam that are peaceful, inclusive, and aligned with the challenges of the times.

May this achievement be the beginning of a greater journey for Pandhita to continue contributing meaningfully to the world of Islamic preaching and to bring pride to her university both nationally and internationally.

[Public Relations of Arabic Literature, Pandhita Hapsari]

Yogyakarta, 10/4/2025 – In order to welcome the new system of campus visit implementation, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held UGM Campus Tour Activity Guiding Training which lasted for two days, namely on Thursday, March 20, 2025 online through Zoom and Friday, March 21, 2025 offline in Multimedia Room 1, UGM Main Office (Balairung). This training was held as part of UGM’s efforts to realize a campus tour system that is more coordinated, informative, and representative of university values.

This activity is an important part of the implementation of UGM’s new policy in organizing campus tours, which were previously decentralized in each faculty and business unit. Now, the implementation is consolidated through a centralized system that involves student representatives from all faculties as guides. Therefore, the students involved are required to have good story telling skills, understand the values of UGM, and have basic visitor management skills, so this training is a crucial step in the process.

Understanding Values and Basic Guiding Techniques

The first day of the training was opened online by the committee, followed by remarks from Mohamad Rachmadian Narotama, ST, M.Sc., Ph.D., lecturer in Tourism Study Program at Faculty of Arts UGM as well as the Head of UGM Campus Tour Task Force Team. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of the guide’s role in the new UGM Campus Tour scheme which is not only as an introduction, but also as an ambassador of information and representation of university values.

The first session presented Runavia Mulyasari, S.Ant., M.A. and Popi Irawan, S.S., M.Sc., Ph.D., both lecturers of Tourism Study Program and members of the UGM Campus Tour Task Force, who provided an in-depth understanding of the interpretation of UGM values in the context of guiding and the basics of guiding.

Meanwhile, Runavia Mulyasari, S.Ant., M.A. explained the importance of attitude, communication skills, and code of ethics that must be owned by campus tour guides. The participants were introduced to the principles of hospitality and professionalism as the key to maintaining UGM’s image in the eyes of visitors.

The next session was filled with a sharing session entitled “The Art of Telling Stories about Daily Activities” presented by Evander Dwi Pramana, S.Par, an alumnus of UGM Tourism Study Program who is now active as a guiding practitioner. In this session, participants were not only invited to hear field experiences, but also to share stories about campus life which could later be developed into story telling material for campus tour visitors.

Deepening SOPs and Guiding Practices

Meanwhile, offline training activities began with remarks from Popi Irawan, who emphasized the importance of this training in ensuring the quality of the campus visitor experience in the future. The first session was filled by Runavia Mulyasari, who explained the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) developed by the Task Force Team for campus tour guiding activities. Not only one-way, this session also encouraged participants to actively discuss to complete the SOP, such as dealing with emergency conditions and the limits of guide intervention.

The second session was a hands-on guiding practice facilitated by Evander. Through a paired method, participants practiced being a guide and a visitor alternately. Open discussions were also held to discuss effective guiding strategies in various situations. This practice also honed the participants’ skills in delivering information in an interesting, relevant and communicative manner.

Synergy for Sustainable Tourism

The active involvement of lecturers, students, and alumni of the UGM Faculty of Arts Tourism Study Program in this activity shows a commitment to sustainable education that is in line with the goals of SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 17: Partnerships to Achieve Goals. Collaboration across generations and faculties is an important foundation in creating a campus tour ecosystem at UGM that is inclusive, informative, and meaningful.

With this training, it is expected that all students involved as guides can be the best representation of UGM. Not only as a higher education institution, but also as an open, friendly, and inspiring life learning space.

[Public Relations of Tourism, Muhammad Alif]

Yogyakarta, March 25, 2025 – Theories of Globalization is a mandatory course in the Department of Intercultural Studies that examines the impact of globalization from various perspectives. Globalization is understood as a phenomenon with multiple influences—both positive and negative—on culture, ecology, and the way of life of local communities. Through an interdisciplinary approach, students are encouraged to understand how globalization affects social structures and cultural identities across different parts of the world. By the end of the course, students are expected to have a more balanced perception of globalization and be able to analyze its impact on local cultures. The course is conducted through a combination of lectures, discussions, and presentations, with structured assignments and essay writing as part of the evaluation process.

In its sixth session, the course was taught by Dr. Sri Pangastoeti, M. Hum., who explored various academic perspectives on globalization, including studies from Japanese literature. One of the key topics discussed was the karayuki-san phenomenon, the role of geisha, Japan’s isolation policy, and the historical dynamics between Japan and the United States that continue to shape their cultural and political relations today.

One of the often-overlooked impacts of globalization is how the global economic system has influenced migration dynamics and the role of women in history. Labor mobility, whether voluntary or forced, has often been shaped by broader social and economic conditions. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan experienced this phenomenon, particularly in the case of women known as karayuki-san.

The karayuki-san phenomenon refers to Japanese women from impoverished areas, particularly Nagasaki, who migrated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to various countries in Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, and Australia. They worked in various sectors, including entertainment and prostitution. Economic hardship and social pressures forced many young women to be sent abroad as a means of survival. The presence of karayuki-san reflects the complexity of migration in the early stages of globalization, where economic and social factors drove labor mobility across national borders.

The discussion also touched on the differences between geisha and oiran. Geisha are professional artists trained in traditional Japanese arts such as music, dance, and refined conversation. Contrary to common misconceptions outside Japan, geisha are not sex workers but rather cultural performers who preserve Japanese artistic traditions. However, geisha have often been misinterpreted, partly due to inaccurate portrayals in American popular media. Western films and literature have frequently depicted geisha as sex workers or confused them with oiran—high-class courtesans who were not only skilled in the performing arts but also provided sexual services. These stereotypes have been shaped through media framing, which simplifies and distorts the distinctions between different female roles in Japan’s past.

Another significant topic discussed in the lecture was Japan’s isolationist policy, or sakoku, which was enforced during the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868). Japan closed itself off from the outside world for more than two centuries, restricting foreign interaction to maintain political and social stability and prevent external influences. This policy only ended when the United States pressured Japan to open its ports for international trade. This event marked a turning point in Japanese history, triggering modernization and integrating the country into the currents of globalization.

Japan’s relationship with the United States continued to evolve but was not always harmonious. In the early 20th century, the United States implemented discriminatory immigration policies against Asians, including the Japanese. One of the most significant was the Immigration Act of 1924, which explicitly banned Japanese immigrants from entering the U.S. This policy was driven by anti-Asian sentiment, concerns over labor competition, and political pressure from white labor groups. Discrimination against Japanese immigrants reflected the global tensions that shaped international relations at the time.

Although Japan-U.S. relations were once marked by conflict—especially during World War II—the dynamic between the two countries continued to develop. After the war, Japan underwent reconstruction with American support, eventually becoming one of the U.S.’s closest allies in the Asia-Pacific region. Beyond economic and political cooperation, cultural exchanges between the two nations have flourished. Traditional Japanese arts have gained widespread recognition in the United States, while American popular culture, such as films and music, has had a significant influence on Japanese society.

This course is taught by a team of lecturers from various academic backgrounds, providing a multidisciplinary approach to understanding globalization. Dr. Sri Pangastoeti offered in-depth insights into how globalization has shaped Japanese culture. The discussions in this lecture emphasized that globalization is not merely about economic and technological exchange but also deeply intertwined with history, identity, and complex cultural dynamics. The interaction between Japan and the United States serves as a concrete example of how globalization shapes international relationships and continuously transforms cultural landscapes.

[Public Relations American Studies, Nariza Ayu Pasha]