Yogyakarta, November 1, 2025 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada held a Student Exchange Program Evaluation as part of the closing activities for both national and international student exchange programs for the Odd Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Year.

The event took place at two destinations, Gamplong Studio Alam and Kopi Ingkar Janji in Kulon Progo. In addition to serving as a reflection on the implementation of the exchange program, the activity also aimed to strengthen the bonds between exchange students, lecturers, and faculty administrators in a warm and collegial atmosphere.

The event was attended by Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, S.Sos., M.Si., Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Nur Saktiningrum, S.S., M.Hum., and Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources, Suray Agung Nugroho, S.S., M.A., Ph.D. In their remarks, the faculty leaders expressed their appreciation to the exchange students for their enthusiasm and dedication during their studies at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM.

Various positive impressions were shared by the participants. Moza, a Japanese Literature student from Universitas Udayana who joined the exchange program in the Tourism Study Program at FIB UGM, shared how much she enjoyed the program and her interest in learning across disciplines. From Universitas Andalas, Zakiya and Farah also shared their memorable academic experiences at FIB UGM. “Academically, nothing compares to UGM,” said Zakiya, while Farah appreciated the proactive support provided by the study program’s administrative staff.

Tiara Nur Aisyah from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta also expressed her gratitude to the faculty for their assistance throughout the administrative process. “FIB UGM is truly cultured, distinctive, and full of character,” she said.

From the international participants, Ciro from Italy shared his fascinating experience studying Indonesian at FIB UGM. He was impressed by the warm and interactive academic environment. “Here, lecturers truly act as mentors and take part in discussions with students. The atmosphere is very comfortable and makes us feel at home,” he shared.

Beyond sharing experiences, the event also served as a platform for reflection and discussion to evaluate and further improve the exchange program in the future. The event concluded with a group photo session involving all participants and faculty leaders, marking the end of the activity in a friendly and memorable manner.

The implementation of the student exchange program at FIB UGM aligns with the university’s commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this initiative, FIB UGM contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing cross-cultural, cross-institutional, and interdisciplinary learning opportunities that broaden students’ perspectives and enhance their global competencies. Moreover, this activity strengthens the realization of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering sustainable collaboration between domestic and international universities to build an inclusive, continuous, and human-centered educational network.

In this way, FIB UGM not only serves as an academic space for the development of knowledge and culture but also as a platform for nurturing young generations who are open to diversity and committed to achieving sustainable development at the global level.

[Public Relations, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM – Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, October 31, 2025 — The American Studies Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), held a Public Lecture titled “Trauma and Cultural Awareness” at the Soegondo Building, FIB UGM.

The event featured Dr. Jack Leslie Redfern, Jr. from Goshen College, Indiana, United States, an affiliate professor renowned for his expertise in cross-cultural studies and trauma psychology.

In his presentation, Dr. Leslie explained that trauma is an intense emotional, psychological, or physical response to an event or series of events that exceed an individual’s capacity to cope. According to him, trauma can leave lasting effects on one’s functioning and overall well-being.

Furthermore, Dr. Leslie emphasized that trauma is not only defined by the objective event but also by the subjective experience of the person who undergoes it. He added that repeated minor stressors (chronic adversity) can have an impact as severe as a single catastrophic event.

In addition, cultural context plays a crucial role in shaping how trauma is recognized, expressed, and addressed within a society. Dr. Leslie illustrated this by referring to conditions in several rural Javanese villages, where values such as saving face and preserving family honor (rasa malu) often discourage individuals from disclosing experiences of domestic violence. Instead of seeking professional help, such cases are typically resolved internally through community elders or neighborhood meetings (RT/RW).

Through this public lecture, students were encouraged to understand that trauma management cannot be separated from the social and cultural contexts of a community. Cultural awareness, he explained, is essential for fostering empathy and developing more humane approaches toward trauma survivors.

This activity also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). Through academic programs like this, FIB UGM reaffirms its commitment to deepening students’ understanding of mental health and cultural diversity while fostering awareness of the importance of inclusive, human-centered social support.

[Public Relations Office, FIB UGM – Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, 15 September 2025 – The Study Program of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), presented artist Paksi Raras Alit in an Expert Lecture themed “Adapting Ancient Manuscripts into Performing Arts.” On this occasion, Paksi delivered a presentation entitled “From Page to the Stage: Manuscript to Stage Performance” which highlighted the creative process as well as the challenges of transforming ancient texts into stage performances.

Paksi explained that adapting ancient manuscripts into the performing arts is not merely transferring written texts into forms of drama, theater, wayang, or music. Rather, it involves a long process of rewriting, editing, adapting, and developing imagination to bring the text to life on stage. This creative process covers several crucial stages, including imaginative exploration, content adaptation, co-modification with the creative team, and technical production. Ultimately, all these steps are directed toward creating a performance that can be understood and appreciated by the audience.

However, significant challenges inevitably arise throughout the process. Paksi emphasized the fundamental questions that every artist or creator must answer: Where should one begin? What needs to be included or omitted? How can long descriptive passages about characters, places, and events be translated into a stage performance? Should all dialogues be presented in full? Often, manuscripts feature characters who speak in lengthy, elaborate texts that must be condensed to remain effective on stage.

This discussion demonstrated that performing arts are not merely a form of entertainment but also a meeting space between text, creativity, and audience. Furthermore, the creative endeavor of reviving ancient manuscripts on stage is also part of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—specifically Goal 4 on Quality Education, which encourages knowledge development based on tradition, and Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, through the preservation and actualization of cultural heritage in a modern context.

Through this event, FIB UGM reaffirmed its commitment as an academic space not only to study ancient manuscripts but also to connect them with performing arts, ensuring that tradition remains relevant and can be passed down across generations.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, September 10, 2025 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), has once again produced significant research in the field of linguistics. Dini Maulia, a doctoral student in Linguistics under the Graduate Program of Humanities, successfully defended her dissertation entitled “A Contrastive Analysis of Negation in Japanese and Indonesian.”

In her dissertation, Dini was supervised by Dr. Tatang Hariri, M.A. as the main advisor, and Dr. Y. Tri Mastoyo, M.Hum. as the co-advisor. The study aimed to compare the negation systems in Japanese and Indonesian using a theoretical contrastive analysis framework, drawing on the works of Fisiak (1980), Ke (2019), Krzeszowski (1990), and Zabrocki (1980).

The findings revealed that negation markers can be classified into two types: affixal negation and sentential negation. Furthermore, based on X-bar theory, it was found that affixal negation in both Japanese and Indonesian occupies the modifier node that describes a noun.

Through contrastive analysis, the study also identified four main factors influencing the similarities and differences in the negation systems of the two languages, namely:

1. Negation as a universal grammatical feature,

2. Language typology,

3. Categories of sentential negation, and

4. Tense systems.

This research not only contributes to theoretical linguistic studies but also aligns with the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), through the advancement of cross-cultural linguistic knowledge, and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), by fostering intercultural and interlingual understanding.

With these findings, the study is expected to build a more comprehensive model of contrastive language analysis, enriching linguistic scholarship while strengthening UGM’s role in producing world-class academics.

[Public Relations Office, FIB UGM – Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, September 2, 2025 – The Undergraduate Tourism Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a guest lecture as part of the ERASMUS+ Staff Mobility program with the theme “Sustainability and Sustainable Practices in Tourism Enterprises.”

The lecture featured Assoc. Prof. Göktaş Kulualp from Karabuk University, Türkiye. In his presentation, Prof. Kulualp elaborated on several key aspects of sustainable tourism.

He began by providing an overview of the introduction to sustainable tourism, covering its definition and basic principles. He then discussed global trends and policy frameworks set by UNWTO, including regulations for hotels, tour operators, and tourist destinations. According to him, after the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a growing interest in slow tourism, ecotourism, and nature-based travel.

Prof. Kulualp also highlighted sustainable tourism practices in Türkiye, particularly through eco-friendly certification programs. One example is the Green Star Certificate, awarded by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism to environmentally conscious hotels, with assessments on energy and water efficiency, waste management, and the use of local products. In addition, he mentioned international eco-labels such as Green Key and Blue Flag, which are awarded to hotels and beaches that protect the environment.

These efforts align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Through sustainable tourism practices, the tourism sector is expected not only to generate economic benefits but also to maintain environmental and socio-cultural balance.

The event concluded with an interactive Q&A session, allowing students to gain deeper insights into the implementation of sustainable tourism concepts in various countries, including their relevance to the Indonesian context.

[Public Relations FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]