Yogyakarta — The findings of the tracer study and the graduate user satisfaction survey serve as the basis for evaluating and improving the quality of learning in the Master’s Program in Literary Studies, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). The evaluation results are used to inform curriculum reviews, annual activity planning, and efforts to strengthen graduate competencies so that they remain aligned with the needs and developments of the labor market.

The evaluation draws on five data sources: the UGM Tracer Studies conducted in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, as well as the Graduate User Satisfaction Survey administered by the Master’s Program in Literary Studies. The data cover graduates from various graduation years and responses from 43 supervisors or organizations employing the graduates.

Tracer study data are collected periodically from graduates. The findings are then analyzed and discussed at program meetings involving lecturers responsible for relevant courses to identify aspects of learning that should be maintained or improved.

Relatively Short Job Search Period

One of the key findings indicates that graduates of UGM’s Master’s Program in Literary Studies generally experience a relatively short waiting period before securing employment. Based on data for graduates from 2022–2024, the average waiting period ranged from 2.6 to 3 months.

The proportion of graduates who secured employment within six months of graduation also showed an upward trend, increasing from 80 percent among the 2022 graduates to 89 percent among the 2024 graduates. Most respondents had already been employed before completing their studies. This reflects the characteristics of master’s students, many of whom already have work experience while pursuing their degrees.

The data also show positive developments in the alignment between graduates’ fields of employment and their fields of study. Among the 2024 graduates, 74 percent of respondents reported a high level of alignment, up from 59 percent among the 2023 graduates. Meanwhile, the proportion of graduates reporting low alignment decreased from 14 percent to 5 percent.

These developments are consistent with efforts to strengthen interest-based elective courses introduced in the latest curriculum. Nevertheless, the relationship between curriculum changes and the improved alignment of graduates’ fields of employment with their fields of study needs to be further examined through evaluations in subsequent periods.

Strengthening Applied Skills and Foreign Language Proficiency

In addition to mapping graduates’ employment outcomes, the tracer study evaluates proficiency in 25 competencies at graduation and at the time of the survey. The results indicate that several competencies still require attention, particularly data analytics, project management, negotiation, the ability to work under pressure, and time management.

Some of these competencies showed relatively limited improvement after graduates completed their studies. For example, proficiency in data analytics increased only slightly, from 3.91 to 3.96 on a five-point scale. Meanwhile, the project management score remained unchanged at 4.09.

English proficiency is another area that needs to be strengthened. Graduates rated their English proficiency at 4.13 upon graduation, increasing to 4.16 at the time of the survey.

These findings are consistent with the results of the Graduate User Satisfaction Survey. Of the seven competency areas assessed, foreign language proficiency received the lowest proportion of “very good” ratings, at 67.44 percent. Conversely, personal development received the highest proportion of “very good” ratings, at 93.02 percent.

Although all areas received either “good” or “very good” ratings, with no “poor” ratings recorded, this gap has become one of the considerations guiding the program’s efforts to strengthen foreign language instruction, particularly English.

Experiential Learning as an Area of Focus

The tracer study also reveals a difference in emphasis between classroom-based and experiential learning methods. Discussions received the highest score, at 4.66, followed by lectures at 4.45. Experiential learning methods received lower scores, with internships scoring 2.80, practical sessions 3.11, and fieldwork 3.18.

The relatively limited emphasis on experiential learning has become an area of concern because it relates to the need to strengthen applied and managerial competencies. In response to these findings, the program plans to involve students in lecturers’ research projects and in organizing academic events, incorporate project management components into methodology courses, and introduce data processing tools in research methods classes.

The program also plans to establish structured fieldwork activities through courses on oral tradition studies and philology. In addition, it will explore partnerships with cultural institutions and publishing organizations to expand opportunities for students to gain practical experience.

Expanding Career Information and Alumni Networks

Regarding the transition into the workforce, the 2026 Tracer Study identified limited access to job vacancy information as the most frequently reported obstacle. Of the 39 respondents who answered this question, 28.21 percent cited limited job vacancy information as a barrier. Another 23.08 percent reported a lack of job opportunities specifically targeted at graduates of the program.

Other obstacles included insufficient work experience, reported by 17.95 percent of respondents. Meanwhile, 15.38 percent stated that they had encountered no difficulties in finding employment.

These findings have prompted the program to improve access to career information and professional networks. Planned follow-up measures include establishing information channels for job vacancies and further study scholarships, regularly organizing alumni experience-sharing forums, and introducing graduate profiles to cultural institutions, publishing organizations, and partner universities.

On the other hand, the most widely reported benefit of the program was improved critical thinking and decision-making skills, as reported by 29 of the 49 respondents. Other benefits included greater ease in obtaining or creating employment opportunities, reported by 11 respondents, and opportunities to pursue further studies, reported by 10 respondents.

These findings indicate that the value of education in the Master’s Program in Literary Studies extends beyond employment opportunities to include intellectual development and enhanced decision-making capabilities.

Periodic Evaluation as a Basis for Improvement

Based on the overall findings, the Master’s Program in Literary Studies has established several improvement priorities, including strengthening foreign language proficiency, enhancing applied and managerial competencies, expanding experiential learning, strengthening academic advising, and improving access to career information and alumni networks.

Efforts to strengthen foreign language proficiency will include incorporating more primary reading materials in foreign languages into theoretical courses, requiring final assignments for compulsory courses to be written in English, and providing guidance on English-language article writing before students begin preparing their theses.

Meanwhile, academic advising from the first semester will be strengthened to help students select courses and determine thesis topics that align with their career plans. This measure is expected to further improve the alignment between graduates’ fields of study and their employment.

The implementation of these improvements will be monitored through subsequent tracer studies and graduate user satisfaction surveys. The program has also acknowledged several data limitations, including annual respondent numbers ranging from 35 to 49, the absence of information on graduates’ graduation years in the graduate user satisfaction survey, and the use of self-reported assessments of competency levels.

By making regular use of tracer study findings, UGM’s Master’s Program in Literary Studies seeks to ensure that learning evaluation goes beyond data collection and leads to measurable improvement measures. The evaluation results are expected to support improvements in learning quality while strengthening the relevance of graduate competencies to labor market needs and developments in the field of literary studies.

 

By: Khotibul Umam

Stefani Adelia Tiurma Mukti from the Department of Archaeology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with Fadel Ilham Dzulkarnain from the Multimedia Engineering Technology program at Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya (PENS), has introduced an innovative framework for cultural heritage preservation. Presenting at the interdisciplinary iCAST-SS 2026 conference held in Surabaya on October 9–10, 2026, the duo unveiled their research titled “From Prediction to Preservation: An Explainable AI and WebGIS Framework for Simulated Archaeological Heritage Conservation in Trowulan, Indonesia.” Their study focuses on the historical Trowulan site in East Java, a vital zone containing the grand remains of the ancient Majapahit Kingdom, proposing a digitally simulated approach to its ongoing conservation planning.

This interdisciplinary research merges Explainable AI (XAI) and Web-based Geographic Information Systems (WebGIS) to transform conventional archaeological mapping into transparent and precise spatial predictive models. By utilizing Explainable AI, the framework ensures that machine learning predictions are fully interpretable, giving experts clear insights into the environmental and historical factors driving the model’s outputs. Simultaneously, the WebGIS platform serves as an accessible digital interface that visualizes spatial analysis in real time. This synergy successfully bridges the gap between traditional archaeological spatial context and advanced computational data handling, offering a highly communicative tool for heritage management.

Although currently structured around a simulated environment, this pioneering research opens up new avenues for modernizing cultural site management across Indonesia. The findings set the foundation for future field validation and algorithmic refinements, aiming toward real-world applications that can assist policymakers and conservationists in making data-driven decisions. Through their participation in iCAST-SS 2026, Stefani and Fadel demonstrate the powerful potential of cross-disciplinary collaboration—uniting the humanities with technology—to effectively address the complex challenges of preserving cultural heritage in the modern era.

 

Author : Muhammad Irsyad
Photo Credits: Stefani Adelia Tiurma Mukti

Yogyakarta — Alumni of the Master’s Program in Linguistics at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have shared a number of aspirations for developing the alumni network so that it can play a more active role in supporting academic activities, professional development, and social engagement.

The aspirations were gathered through the “Linguistics Alumni Survey,” distributed via Google Forms through the UGM Linguistics Master’s Program Cross-Cohort WhatsApp Group from 12 to 20 September 2026.

In general, alumni expressed their appreciation for the relationships and connections that have been maintained among graduates, including through the WhatsApp group and the Kalingga student and alumni community. At the same time, they expressed hopes that these relationships would extend beyond social ties and develop into a network that can support alumni, students, the university, and the wider community.

The feedback covered a range of areas, from strengthening alumni governance and data management to developing career networks, academic and research activities, the use of technology, and social initiatives. Broadly, the aspirations can be grouped into six key areas for development.

1. Strengthening Alumni Governance and Data Management

Alumni proposed regular data collection covering professional backgrounds, areas of expertise, locations, and the distribution of alumni, including those living overseas. Such data is expected to support communication and collaboration among alumni based on their respective expertise and professional backgrounds.

Other suggestions included strengthening communication infrastructure through an official website, appointing representatives for each cohort, and establishing communication guidelines for alumni groups. Alumni also proposed developing a shared identity through alumni uniforms or corsa, establishing an alumni association name, and forming a national association of linguistics scholars and alumni.

2. Developing Career Networks and Mentoring

The alumni network is expected to serve as a platform for sharing information on job opportunities, particularly for lecturers and researchers, as well as scholarships and further study opportunities. Alumni also proposed Alumni Sharing sessions and mentoring programs to facilitate the exchange of professional experiences and introduce current students to a range of career opportunities.

3. Strengthening Academic Engagement and Research Collaboration

Alumni proposed regular online academic discussions, held monthly or every three months, which could be organized based on geographic areas or specific fields of linguistics. These forums are expected to provide opportunities for alumni to remain engaged with developments in the field and exchange ideas.

Other proposals include collaborative academic writing, research consortia and groups, the publication of the Jurnal Kajian Linguistik, as well as national and international webinars, workshops, and linguistics conferences.

4. Responding to Developments in Digital Linguistics and AI

Alumni proposed strengthening learning opportunities related to Digital Linguistics, artificial intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and large-scale text data analysis, including through the provision of relevant elective courses. These efforts are expected to broaden students’ and graduates’ competencies in responding to technological developments in language studies.

5. Expanding Alumni Access and Engagement

Online activities are considered important to enable alumni living outside Yogyakarta and overseas to continue participating. At the same time, alumni proposed annual gatherings or reunions, which could be held alongside linguistics conferences or community activities such as syawalan and buka bersama.

Alumni also emphasized the importance of inclusive participation, with the network open to all graduates regardless of their previous involvement in student organizations.

6. Encouraging Community Engagement through Social Initiatives

Alumni proposed that the network support community service and social initiatives through knowledge-based programs that benefit the wider community. Graduates, particularly scholarship recipients, are also expected to have opportunities to contribute to society through their knowledge, experience, and professional competencies.

The six areas identified—governance and data management, careers and mentoring, academic engagement and research, digital linguistics and AI, alumni access and engagement, and community service—can serve as considerations for the future development of alumni activities and organizational structures.

The survey findings provide a basis for understanding alumni aspirations and identifying activities that can be developed collaboratively. Through a well-maintained alumni network, connections among the university, students, alumni, and the wider community can continue to be strengthened.

Students of the Arabic Literature Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) attended a course on Entrepreneurship and Personal Development featuring a guest lecture on “Arabic-Based Entrepreneurship Opportunities” delivered by Kuwat Prasetya, S.S. on September 14, 2026. During the session, Kuwat highlighted the importance of mapping out and planning one’s dreams, then turning them into systems and habits as a form of commitment and consistency in achieving them. He also emphasized that small habits practiced repeatedly can create a significant impact. In explaining this concept, he referred to the key principles presented in Atomic Habits.

After raising students’ awareness of the importance of building systems and habits to achieve their future aspirations, Kuwat shifted the discussion toward the importance of Arabic language proficiency and the career opportunities that can be developed through this skill. According to him, Arabic proficiency is becoming increasingly valuable in the workplace, particularly when complemented by English language skills.

“Don’t come only when you need a job. Come with value,” he said.

Kuwat explained that the value of Arabic Literature graduates is not determined solely by their academic achievements or degree certificates, but also by the competencies they possess, particularly their Arabic language skills. He noted that Arabic proficiency should not be limited to fusha Arabic, but should also include amiyah, the variety of Arabic commonly used in everyday communication.

He encouraged students to start learning amiyah, particularly Saudi amiyah, for those interested in pursuing careers in the Hajj and Umrah sector. Proficiency in amiyah can help individuals communicate more closely with Arab communities while gaining a better understanding of their cultural and everyday contexts.

Beyond the Hajj and Umrah sector, Kuwat also outlined various career opportunities available to Arabic Literature graduates, including diplomacy, business and trade, hospitality, translation, digital media, and education, including Arabic Language Education.

“Build an identity, not just a target,” Kuwat said.

Through this course, Arabic Literature students are expected not only to identify their aspirations and future career opportunities, but also to understand the competencies they need to develop from an early stage. The experience and insights gained from the speaker are expected to serve as valuable preparation for students to take concrete steps, develop productive habits, and pursue their goals through small actions carried out consistently, rather than leaving those goals as mere ideas in their minds.

 

Author : Hashifa Zara Ahfiyani

The 2nd American Studies International Conference was held again at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) on September 10–11, 2026. Organized by the American Studies Study Program, the conference carried the theme “Global America: Exploring Flows, Borders, and Transnational Exchanges”. Simply put, the theme examines America in relation to flows, borders, and cross-border exchanges.

In this conference, American Studies was not merely understood as the study of English language or American culture. The field serves as a multidisciplinary study covering culture, society, politics, technology, literature, environment, and America’s relations with the world. This was reflected in the diverse subthemes discussed, ranging from American Literature, American Transnational Culture, Politics in the US, Film and Media Studies, to Digital Lives and Virtual Realities.

The theme “Global America: Exploring Flows, Borders, and Transnational Exchanges” also highlights exchanges that extend beyond national boundaries. For example, ideas originating in America can spread to other countries and be implemented or adapted to local contexts. In this framework, America is seen not just as a nation, but as a part of broader global processes involving culture, migration, digital media, the environment, and various other forms of exchange.

One of the presenters, Anna M. Gade from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, United States, presented a paper titled “What Does a Data Center Look Like? American Studies and Political Ecology of a Global Digital Landscape”. The presentation explored data centers as integral components of the global digital landscape. It pointed out that the digital world relies on physical infrastructure: behind digital services lie physical components such as servers, electricity, cooling systems, buildings, and other supporting facilities.

Through these discussions, the conference demonstrated that American Studies is not confined to American culture or domestic society, but also examines how concepts and phenomena related to America interact with the global community. Thus, American Studies provides a platform to understand America from multiple perspectives and observe how these relationships evolve in a global context.

 

 

[Author: Humas FIB, Zaidan Abdurrahman]