Yogyakarta, 18 November 2025 — As part of its ongoing effort to expand creative dialogue within the academic community, the Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a public lecture titled “Tracing Self-Identity Through Fiction” on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, in Room 204 of the Soegondo Building, FIB UGM. The event featured California-based writer of Vietnamese–Indonesian descent, Mazdo, as the keynote speaker, with Naria Nur Iftitah serving as moderator. Her presence drew enthusiastic attention from students, alumni, and literary researchers eager to explore how fiction can serve as a medium for reflecting identity, personal experience, and socio-cultural dynamics.

In her presentation, Mazdo explained that writing, for her, is a deep dialogue between personal experience, imagination, and the internal questions that continually shape her creative process. She introduced three of her short stories as examples of how she navigates identity through fiction. The first piece she discussed, When the Moths Came (2023), stems from her personal experience. “This story began from my experience living in an apartment where moths were flying everywhere— in the kitchen, around the living room, everywhere. I felt disturbed, but I thought it would be interesting to turn it into a short story,” she explained. From this simple experience, Mazdo crafted a narrative about a married couple dealing with the constant presence of moths, which disrupt their daily life and create emotional distance between them.

Her second story, The Collector (2024), is rooted in her time studying at the Southeast Asia Program building at Cornell University, which was filled with cultural artifacts. She invited the audience to examine how such objects hold long historical traces, including power relations between the United States and Southeast Asian nations. Through the perspective of two curious and innocent children, she demonstrates how Orientalism and colonial traces can be reimagined in fictional space.

Meanwhile, her story Cut Blooms (2025) highlights the relationship between two sisters—shaped by affection, misunderstanding, and an unbreakable emotional bond. Mazdo shared that the inspiration for this work came from her closeness to her own sisters. “When I write, inspiration can come from anywhere, even from my own life experiences. For example, Cut Blooms comes from my personal experience, but I do not write it literally as it happened. Since I write fiction, only small details that truly happened in my life are adapted into the story,” she explained. This statement helped the audience understand that fiction does not require literal adherence to real events, but instead transforms lived experience into a broader emotional structure.

The public lecture also aligned with values of social and cultural sustainability. Through her stories, Mazdo demonstrated that literature can serve as a tool for cultivating empathy, honoring diverse identities, and encouraging reflection on one’s place within larger historical contexts.

The question-and-answer session unfolded warmly and thoughtfully. The first question came from Marisa Santi (Kagama UGM), who asked about the narrative approach Mazdo most frequently uses, whether she prefers the author as an omniscient narrator or allows the characters full autonomy. Responding to this, Mazdo said, “I tend to use the first approach, where the writer serves as the narrator.” She added that this position allows her to guide the fictional world while still giving her characters space to move freely.

The next question was posed by Marsya Kamila, a student of UGM’s Master’s Program in Literature, who asked whether Mazdo plans to write fiction that explicitly addresses migration or identity exploration in the United States, given that her parents migrated there. Mazdo responded enthusiastically: “Yes, because both of my parents come from Vietnam and Indonesia, I think it would be interesting to write fiction that gives voice to our origins and experiences.” Her answer indicates that family history and migration remain enduring sources of inspiration in her creative journey.

The event concluded with great appreciation from participants, who felt they gained new insights into how fiction operates as a tool for self-exploration, historical reading, and reinterpreting lived experience. The Master’s Program in Literature hopes that similar public lectures will continue to provide creative spaces that strengthen literary literacy while fostering cultural awareness and sustainability in society.

[Master’s Program in Literature, Marsya Kamila]

Yogyakarta, 13 November 2025 — The Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, welcomed an academic visit from the Master’s Program in Literary Studies, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Diponegoro at Room 709, Soegondo Building, FIB UGM. The event was part of the ongoing implementation of the cooperation agreement between the two faculties in education, research, and community engagement.

The visit began with a warm welcome from the UGM Master’s in Literature team, who greeted the UNDIP delegation of lecturers and students. From the outset, the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, reflecting the longstanding relationship between the two institutions.

The first remarks were delivered by the Head of UGM’s Master’s Program in Literature, Prof. Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum. In his address, he expressed his delight in receiving the academic visit. He emphasized the personal and academic closeness he shares with UNDIP, stating that the meeting felt like a family gathering. “I feel very close to UNDIP. I once taught there, and several of the lecturers are my close friends. So today truly feels like meeting family,” he said, receiving warm responses from attendees.

This was followed by remarks from the Head of the Master’s Program in Literary Studies at Universitas Diponegoro, Dr. Sukarjo Waluyo, M.Hum. He conveyed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to visit UGM in person and observe firsthand the learning atmosphere and academic dynamics of UGM’s Master’s Program in Literature. He noted that the visit was valuable for gaining insights into program management and for strengthening inter-faculty collaboration.

The event continued with presentations of study program profiles from both institutions. Representatives from UGM’s Master’s in Literature and UNDIP’s Master’s in Literary Studies shared information on curriculum structures, research focuses, teaching models, and recent developments within their programs. The session was interactive, with each institution exchanging insights and experiences. UNDIP presented several interesting points regarding learning strategies and curriculum innovation, while UGM elaborated on its academic management approach, including how the program operates with six specialization tracks.

The discussion grew livelier during the Q&A session. One UNDIP lecturer inquired about how UGM manages to open six specializations at the master’s level—namely Indonesian Literature, Javanese Literature, English Literature, French Literature, Japanese Literature, and Arabic Literature. In response, Prof. Aprinus explained that launching a specialization requires at least ten interested students and available faculty members. If no students register for a specialization in a particular semester, the track will not be opened for that term. He emphasized that this system has been implemented for a long time.

Students from both universities were equally active in the discussion. A UNDIP student asked about the forms of assignments and examinations used in the UGM Master’s program. UGM students from various specializations then shared their experiences. Nada from Arabic Literature explained, “In the first semester, we study many theoretical foundations as preparation for writing the thesis later on, such as sociology of literature, feminism, post-structuralism, and postcolonialism. In the second semester we continue with specialization courses, and in the third and fourth semesters we focus on the thesis.”

Nai from English Literature added, “For final assessments or examinations, they are usually in the form of academic papers, and in some English Literature specialization courses, we also have weekly essay assignments.”. Meanwhile, Marsya from French Literature shared her experience as the only student in her specialization that year. “In my cohort, I happened to be the only one taking the French Literature specialization. However, the classes were still conducted, and the lecturers continued to provide materials. As for the final assignment, it is similar to other specializations—either a draft article or a submitted article to a SINTA-indexed or Scopus-indexed journal,” she explained.

The Q&A session created an intimate academic atmosphere as lecturers and students from both institutions exchanged questions, perspectives, and reflections. The interaction demonstrated a strong enthusiasm for learning from one another and building a broader academic network.

The academic visit concluded with hopes that the collaboration between UGM’s Master’s in Literature and UNDIP’s Master’s in Literary Studies will continue to grow through similar activities in the future. The meeting not only strengthened institutional ties but also opened meaningful avenues for knowledge exchange, enriching the academic experience for all participants.

[Master’s Program in Literature, Marsya Kamila]

Yogyakarta, November 4, 2025 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) of Universitas Gadjah Mada received a request from the Center for Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources Assembly and Modernization (BRMP Biogen) to hold a discussion regarding the implementation of the Baseline Survey of the Crop Diversity Conservation for Sustainable Use in Indonesia (CDCSUI) in Central Java Province.

This survey is part of the GEF-7 Crop Diversity Conservation for Sustainable Use in Indonesia (CDCSUI) project, which aims to strengthen the conservation and sustainable utilization of Indonesia’s plant genetic resources, both in the wild and on agricultural lands. The project focuses on five key commodities: rice, cassava, taro, nutmeg, and clove.

The survey involves collecting baseline data on conservation conditions, local practices, and traditional knowledge related to these crops. In addition, the activity assesses policy aspects, value chains, and the roles of indigenous peoples and gender in the management of agricultural genetic resources.

The activities in Central Java Province were scheduled for October 27–31, 2025, with a discussion session between project representatives—Component 1 and 4 of CDCSUI, the Project Management Unit (PMU), BRMP Central Java, and FIB UGM—held on Wednesday, October 28, 2025, from 09.00 to 12.00 WIB.

FIB UGM’s involvement focuses on exploring aspects of traditional knowledge, gender, and indigenous communities, which play a vital role in plant genetic resource conservation and the strengthening of sustainable food systems.

This initiative supports sustainable development goals by enhancing the resilience of community food systems against climate change, preserving terrestrial biodiversity, and promoting environmentally friendly cultural practices. Moreover, the survey highlights the importance of empowering women and indigenous groups in natural resource management, recognizing their role in preserving traditional knowledge and maintaining local food security.

Through collaboration between research institutions and academic entities, this activity represents a concrete step toward ensuring that plant conservation efforts go beyond scientific and economic dimensions—integrating social and cultural perspectives that form the foundation of sustainability in Indonesia.

[Public Relations Office, FIB UGM – Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, October 30, 2025 — Three students from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM)—Eka Nur Cahyani, Alma Syahwalani, and Nur Wakhid Fajar S.—contributed to the book Sestra Manitra through an artistic work titled “Prameswari.” The piece takes the form of a Gapura Renggan, a decorative gate that harmoniously combines aesthetic beauty with the philosophical values of Javanese culture.

The Prameswari artwork presents a text rich in meaning about the ideal woman from the Javanese cultural perspective. The text reads:

“Tiyang wadon kang kasebut Prameswari langkung luhuring estri. Tiyang wadon utama ana ing manah kudu sabar, nrima, rila, lan sumarah. Wong wadon kang sinau olah rasa kudu bisa nampa kanthi lila legawa lan lembah manah.”

The passage translates as follows:

“A woman referred to as a queen, one who holds a higher virtue than other noble women. A woman with a noble heart must be patient, sincere, generous, and accepting. A woman who learns to master her emotions can embrace life with humility and an open heart.”

Through this work, Eka, Alma, and Wakhid aim to portray the noble virtues of Javanese women—emphasizing patience, sincerity, and inner wisdom. Prameswari serves not only as a symbol of respect for women’s roles in Javanese culture but also as a medium for younger generations to reflect on the essence of feminine virtue from a local cultural perspective.

The students’ participation in Sestra Manitra demonstrates the synergy between learning and cultural preservation, where students not only engage in literary creation but also develop artistic expressions that reflect Javanese cultural identity.

This initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Through such activities, students are encouraged to appreciate cultural values while promoting the recognition of women’s wisdom and strength—supporting the realization of humanistic and gender-inclusive education.

Moreover, Prameswari represents a concrete effort in preserving regional culture, contributing to social and cultural sustainability within the community. The work embodies the spirit upheld by the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, to nurture a young generation that is cultured, ethical, and dedicated to the values of humanity.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, 27 May 2025 – Behind the classroom doors of the Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (INCULS) Program lies a space for dialogue that goes far beyond language learning. It is a meeting point of nations, a space where values are exchanged, and most importantly, where tolerance and understanding grow. One of the individuals who plays a vital role in this process is Nabila Intan Sari, fondly known as Natan. A student of English Literature from the 2021 cohort, she has been actively involved as a tutor at INCULS since 2023. Her experience has profoundly shaped the way she views the world, Indonesia, and herself.

Through INCULS, Natan has participated in various Indonesian language teaching programs for foreign speakers, such as Darmasiswa, Developing Countries Partnership (KNB), Gadjah Mada International Fellowship (GMIF), and collaborations with Monash University and the University of New South Wales. For her, each program comes with its own unique stories and challenges. Yet, a common thread runs through them all: the critical role of language as a unifying tool and a window into cultural meaning.

Among all her experiences, Natan finds the KNB program the most memorable. Unlike other programs, KNB offers a longer teaching duration, allowing for deeper friendships to form between tutors and international students. Natan wasn’t just a teacher—she became a listener, a discussion partner, and even a close friend. These relationships did not end with the program, as communication continues to this day. This, to her, is a true form of education rooted in humanity.

“To me, being a tutor is not just about delivering theory. It’s about showing up as a human being who can make others feel seen and valued,” she shared.

Natan’s teaching methods reflect a humanistic and dialogical approach. She does not dive straight into grammar or sentence structure. Instead, the first two sessions are spent discussing everyday topics such as daily life, campus experiences, cultural differences, and unique habits from each student’s home country. These conversations help build emotional connections and create a safe, relaxed learning atmosphere. Slang, light humor, and current topics often emerge during tutorials, making the learning experience feel like casual, meaningful conversations.

Another thing Natan finds fascinating is the passion for learning shown by students in long-term programs like KNB and Darmasiswa. They arrive with high motivation, great curiosity, and a respectful attitude. Of course, teaching has its challenges. Natan often encounters difficulties with accents and pronunciation, particularly with students from India and Pakistan. Language barriers are inevitable, but she refuses to give up. Instead, she sees them as opportunities to build more creative and interactive learning approaches.

One of the strategies she implements is taking learning outside the classroom. She brings students to places like the Sonobudoyo Museum to explore Javanese cultural history or hikes with them in the Kali Talang area to witness Indonesia’s natural beauty firsthand. During these activities, conversations naturally flow, touching on various topics including social issues like patriarchy and power dynamics in culture. It is through such moments that social and humanitarian values are woven into language education.

“In doing so, I feel that Bahasa Indonesia becomes more than just a communication tool—it becomes a window into the way our people live and think,” she said.

For Natan, being a tutor has changed many aspects of her life. She has become more aware of diversity and has learned not to judge others from a single perspective. She has grown to respect others more and to appreciate her own culture deeply. Her sense of nationalism has also grown stronger after witnessing how enthusiastically foreigners study Indonesian language and culture. That pride arises not from obligation, but from seeing Indonesia through the eyes of others.

“Sometimes, we only truly understand our own country when we explain it to others. And in doing so, we rediscover the meaning of Indonesia,” she reflected.

To Natan, INCULS is not just a language learning space. It is a small stage for cultural diplomacy, where Indonesia is introduced in the most human way—through person-to-person interaction. She believes that every tutor becomes a lens through which others see Indonesia. Therefore, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining ethics, attitude, and the quality of education. She also hopes to see improved learning facilities, including the need for a new building to better support the teaching-learning process.

In addition, she hopes international programs such as those with Monash University can be expanded and extended in duration. After all, one hour is not enough to truly explore the deeper layers of Indonesian culture. Consistent time and interaction are needed for meaningful intercultural relationships to take root.

To fellow tutors, Natan shares a simple yet powerful message: stay motivated. She encourages tutors to go beyond just teaching the language—to help students truly experience life in Indonesia. Only through firsthand experience can students grasp the essence of Indonesia, not just through words, but through the kindness, warmth, and diversity they encounter.

Through her journey, Natan has shown that teaching language can be a powerful pathway to fostering tolerance, respect, and love for the homeland. In the hands of tutors like her, language becomes a bridge—not just between nations, but between hearts—connecting the present with a more inclusive and understanding future.

[Public Relation of INCULS, Thareeq Arkan Falakh]