On Monday, May 13, 2024, the first day of the 13th Gugur Gunung was successfully celebrated at the Margono Terrace, 1st floor, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Jawaisme Fest, a part of this event, attracted a diverse audience, including university students, INCULS students, FIB staff, and high school students visiting FIB UGM.

Jawaisme Fest is an exhibition of Javanese art, literature, and culture. Some of the cultural products displayed included Nusantara manuscripts, traditional Javanese everyday clothing from Yogyakarta, wayang kulit (shadow puppets), gamelan instruments, traditional customs and weton (Javanese astrological system), traditional games, and various other cultural items.

The Nusantara manuscripts on display included Javanese-script manuscripts, illustrated lontar manuscripts from Bali, and replicas of Batak manuscripts. Wayang kulit characters such as the Pandawa (Yudistira, Bima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sadewa) and Punakawan (Semar, Gareng, Petruk, and Bagong) welcomed the visitors. Some of the gamelan instruments displayed included the saron, kendhang ciblon, kethuk, kempul, and gong. Traditional games like yo-yos, othok-othok hammers, othok-othok boats, bekel, slingshots or plintheng, bas basan, tops, and various other games evoked a sense of nostalgia for the past. The Javanese customs showcased included life cycles from birth to death, and an introduction to weton, sparking visitors’ curiosity to learn more.

The diverse cultural products exhibited successfully piqued visitors’ interest. They showed enthusiasm through various questions posed to the booth attendants. Visitors were also given the opportunity to try out traditional games, handle and play wayang kulit, play gamelan instruments, view Nusantara manuscripts, and try their luck at a prize draw booth.

The excitement didn’t end there; Jawaisme Fest will continue on the second day of the 13th Gugur Gunung, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM WIB. The second day promises to be even more special with a Jathilan dance drama titled “Turangga Sastra Nuswantara” performed by students from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Program. The Jathilan dance drama will be made even more captivating by the presence of Lala Atila, a famous campursari singer, who will perform traditional Javanese singing during the show.

Author: Haryo Untoro

After previously receiving an A accreditation, the Korean Language and Culture Program at UGM has successfully obtained an ‘Excellent’ accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education. This ‘Excellent’ accreditation is valid from May 21, 2024, to August 16, 2028, and has been ratified through the Decree of the Director of the Executive Board of BAN-PT No. 4269/SK/BAN-PT/Ak.KP/S/V/2024.

To achieve the ‘Excellent’ status, the program underwent various evaluations by the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education. These evaluations were conducted by the Korean Language and Culture Program Team in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Unit Team of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM. Additionally, the efforts of the program were supported by contributions from all parties, including alumni and stakeholders.

This achievement demonstrates the program’s commitment to continuously improving the quality of its curriculum and human resources. The ‘Excellent’ accreditation is also expected to provide the program with opportunities for various collaborations, both nationally and internationally. This aligns with the program’s commitment to always providing the best quality education for all its students.

Unlike usual, the Introduction to Korean History lecture on Friday, May 17, 2024, was held in-person. The course instructor, Dr. Rostineu, S.S., M.A., is a lecturer in the Korean Language and Culture Program at the University of Indonesia. This time, Dr. Rostineu came directly to the Korean Language and Culture Program at Universitas Gadjah Madaa to conduct the lecture in-person.

The in-person lecture was held in Room 707 of the Soegondo Building at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM WIB. The lecture was attended by approximately one hundred students enrolled in the course. The lecture proceeded in a conducive and interactive manner.

This course focuses on the history of Korea from prehistoric times to the modern era. The material presented was very appropriate, given that the instructor is an expert in the field and has even published a book on Korean history. Therefore, this class was organized to enhance the knowledge of students in the Korean Language and Culture Program regarding Korean history.

At the end of the lecture, students presented flowers to Dr. Rostineu, S.S., M.A. as a memento. The lecture concluded with a group photo featuring Dr. Rostineu, Mr. Suray Agung Nugroho, S.S., M.A., Ph.D., and all the course participants.

On May 17, 2024, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at FIB UGM held another offline class in collaboration with the Korea Foundation. Every semester, they routinely organize classes in cooperation with the Korea Foundation. This semester’s offline lecture was the Korean Business course.

Halfway through the semester, Prof. Kim Su-Eun, the course instructor from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, came directly to the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at UGM to conduct the class in person. The lecture lasted for two hours from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM WIB in room 114 of the Soegondo Building, FIB UGM.

This course focuses on the Korean language commonly used in the Korean business world. The material delivered was highly relevant because the instructor is a native Korean speaker. Therefore, this class was organized to enhance the Korean language skills of students in the Korean Language and Culture program, which will be beneficial for their future careers.

A total of 30 students were enrolled in the course. The lecture proceeded smoothly and constructively. As a memento, the program presented flowers to Prof. Kim Su-Eun at the end of the lecture. After the flower presentation, the session continued with a group photo with Prof. Kim Su-Eun, Mrs. Alfiana Amrin Rosyadi, S.S., M.A., the class coordinator, and all the course participants.

Professor of Middle Eastern Cultural Studies, Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum., along with the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, M.Si., accompanied the Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., Sp.OG(K)., Ph.D., at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dr. Omar Alansari, the Rector of Qatar University. This collaboration celebration took place on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at Qatar University and was attended by the Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar, HE. Ridwan Hassan.

According to a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Qatar, this collaboration focuses on the enhancement of Arabic Language and Literature and Islamic studies. The MoU includes a series of collaborative initiatives, including the organization of Arabic for Non-Native Speakers (ANNS) at Qatar University, the exchange of professors, lecturers, scholars, and experts between the two institutions, as well as the organization of conferences, symposia, workshops, and joint lectures in the field of Arabic language and literature. Through this collaboration, both institutions are committed to promoting academic advancement in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.