Monday, May 20, 2024, UGM Vocational School together with UGM Innovation and Creativity Center (GIK) opened the INOVOKASIA 2024 Festival held from May 20, 2024 to June 1, 2024, at the UGM Vocational School. The increasing challenges of vocational needs in the future, this festival is present as a place to introduce the important role of Vocational education in the general public, including students, in the field of knowledge and skills to accelerate change and innovation in responding to technological developments. In its series of events, the INOVOKASIA 2024 Festival presents exhibition exhibitions, various competitions such as photography and poster design, workshops, talk shows, master classes, seminars, Talent Day, Movie Day, Sekip Walk, and music performances.

The festival was opened with remarks from the Dean of UGM Vocational School, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ir. Agus Maryono, IPM, ASEAN Eng, who said the role of information technology to accelerate all knowledge that can be distributed so that change can occur. He also emphasized that Vocational students are ready to fill innovations, manufacturing works, cultural works, economic works, health works by joining hands with all faculties related to GIK. The hope of the innovation is to make Vocational School a “lighthouse” for other vocational schools by applying the movement method that has been applied by UGM Vocational School, so that one change has an impact on other changes. This model has spread to all students and lecturers, to accelerate the pace of change starting from the pattern of thinking to become more responsive to change.

In the next moment, the speech was continued by Garin Nugroho, Chief Program Officer of Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas UGM, who emphasized the importance of vocational education for the future, especially for Generation Z to answer future challenges through increasing skill capacity for the Generation Z population which amounts to more than 60% of the total population in Indonesia. On the same occasion, Garin also said the INOVOKASIA 2024 Festival invited Vocational schools across Indonesia to map the ecosystem and challenges with the aim of preparing the next generation of Indonesia.

In line with Garin Nugroho, Aji Wartono, Head of Experience at Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas UGM, also supported the organization of this festival as a place to prepare students to be able to jump directly into professional industries with vast potential and future opportunities. Aji reminded that Indonesia still has 150 manufacturing companies, the number of existing manufacturing companies is still relatively small, so further opportunities for the development of the manufacturing industry are wide open.

The opening event of the INOVOKASIA 2024 Festival can be a reference for the Faculty of Humanities UGM. Improving the quality of education and expanding student experience to prepare for the world of work according to changing industry needs is one of the goals of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM to always respond to changes accurately and precisely through industry cooperation.

SDG 4: Quality education | SDGs 4: Basic literacy skills | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDGs 8: Economic productivity | SDG 17: Partnerships for goals | SDGs 17: Fostering innovation

An interesting agenda at the “NGABUBUREAD” event held by Perpustra on Thursday, 26th of March 2024 in the courtyard of the Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences yesterday was Baca Sastra and Ceritra (Cerita bareng Perpustra). Baca Sastra is an expression space for reading literary works presented by Lincak. As a community of poetry lovers at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, Lincak is an expression space for the exploration of poetry and literary works. On the occasion of that afternoon, accompanied by the sound of serene rainwater, Lincak invited people to enjoy the presentation of literary works together.

Ari Bagus Panuntun, founder of Warung Sastra and also a Lecturer in French Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, joined them for a book talk as a speaker at Ceritra. Despite his background in French literature, Bagus was interested in the book industry and founded Warung Sastra. The bookstore with the slogan “Books, Coffee, Penyetan” is a place for book lovers in Yogyakarta to read and discuss. Here, Bagus reviewed the journey of a book from the author’s hands to the buyer. In the discussion session with the audience, he also shared tips on publishing a book, especially how to choose a good and trusted book publisher.

SDG 1: No poverty | SDGs 1: Economic resources | SDGs 1: Income | SDG 4: Quality education | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDGs 8: Creativity and innovation | SDGs 8: Economic productivity | SDG 10: Reduced inequality | SDGs 10: Business 

Starting from a Familiarity Night activity for postgraduate students in literature class 23, even period, on Sunday 3rd of March 2024 in Kalimasada, there was another event that they had without planning. Their agenda that morning was having breakfast. Coincidentally, there was a place to order food near the villa where they were staying. When they got there, who would have thought that this place was the house of Mr. Sardi or who is familiarly called Sardi Beib. So after eating at his house, they were shown works of art that Mr. Sardi had made from used goods. They saw various kinds of works, from statues, masks, night lamps, to the famous crystal wayang.

Pak Sardi also said that all of his work is processed from used items that are no longer used. In other words, he turns rubbish into something beautiful and valuable. This is so because he had marketed his work abroad at fantastic prices. He also often organizes cultural arts activities which are then covered by local, national and foreign media. According to Sabrian, one of the students who had the opportunity to visit at that time, the visit was very inspiring, because in addition to introducing wayang, Mr Sardi also shared his experiences while working in the world of arts and culture. This further motivated him to continue learning about arts and culture, as a literature student.