The Japanese Student Association (HIMAJE) of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held Kizuna Camp 2026 on 20–21 June 2026 at Villa Joglo Tanjung, Kalasan, Yogyakarta. The internal event, attended by HIMAJE members from different academic years, aimed to strengthen relationships among students, foster solidarity, and cultivate a stronger sense of family and togetherness within the organization.

Throughout the two-day program, participants took part in a variety of activities designed to enhance teamwork, communication, and coordination in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. The program included games, group discussions, morning exercise, outbound activities, and a shared dinner. The event was also attended by lecturers from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program, who had the opportunity to interact with students in an informal setting, further strengthening the relationship between lecturers and students beyond the classroom.

Through Kizuna Camp 2026, HIMAJE UGM hopes to foster a more harmonious, active, and united student organization. In addition to providing an opportunity for members to get to know one another better and share organizational experiences, the program is expected to strengthen students’ sense of belonging to HIMAJE and support the sustainability of its future programs.

Author: Prodi Bahasa dan Kebudayaan Jepang

Tuesday (7/7/2026) was a joyful day for the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Yosephin Apriastuti Rahayu, S.S., M.Hum., a lecturer in the field of Old Javanese and Middle Javanese philology, successfully earned a doctoral degree after undergoing a public doctoral defense at Universiteit Leiden.

In her dissertation entitled Learning from the Scribes: A Study of the Old Javanese Uttarakāṇḍa from the Merapi-Merbabu Tradition, Yosephin examines Uttarakāṇḍa, an Old Javanese prose literary work that constitutes the seventh book of the Rāmāyaṇa. The research focuses on four Uttarakāṇḍa manuscripts from the Merapi-Merbabu and Balinese tradition collections to understand how scribes copied, preserved, and transmitted these manuscripts.

Through this research, Mrs. Apriastuti found that the process of manuscript copying is not merely copying the text, but involves a series of activities, such as reading, remembering, reflecting, dictating, and rewriting the contents of the manuscript. The research also shows differences in orthographic systems as well as writing variations influenced by their respective traditions and cultures. These findings help identify copying errors while supporting efforts to reconstruct a textual form that is closer to the original manuscript. In addition, this research demonstrates differences in characteristics between the Merapi-Merbabu writing tradition and the Balinese tradition.

After presenting the results of her research, Mrs. Apriastuti answered various questions from the examiners. The discussion covered several topics, including the role of the Merapi-Merbabu manuscript tradition as a link between Classical Javanese culture and the Javanese and Balinese traditions, the development of writing systems from the Old Javanese period to the modern Javanese script, as well as the cultural and literary relationships among the Sanskrit, Old Javanese, and Balinese traditions.

Yosephin’s success in earning a doctoral degree also constitutes an important contribution to the development of Old Javanese philological studies. The research not only enriches the understanding of the manuscript tradition in the Indonesian archipelago, but also supports efforts to preserve written cultural heritage, particularly Old Javanese manuscripts, which serve as important sources for understanding the history, literature, and culture of Indonesia.

Author: Bahasa dan Sastra Kebudayaan Jawa

Yogyakarta – The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, in collaboration with Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and the Korea Foundation (KF), organized Korean Days (인도네시아 한국의 날) at Room Poerbatjaraka 201, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. The event featured a series of academic activities aimed at broadening students’ understanding of Korean Studies while strengthening collaboration among the participating institutions.

The program began with a public lecture delivered by Prof. Cho Young Han, who introduced the KF-HUFS Project and presented its various initiatives to support the development of Korean Studies. The session provided participants with valuable insights into the project’s objectives and its contributions to the advancement of Korean Studies.

Following the lecture, participants took part in a Writing Competition, where each contestant received a randomly assigned emotion card as the theme for their story. Through this activity, students were encouraged to demonstrate their creativity, critical thinking, and Korean writing skills by developing stories based on the assigned emotions.

Based on the judges’ evaluation, Theresia Chindyawati was awarded the Grand Prize (최우수상). Meanwhile, Adzini Nurul Fatima Juliani, Mulya Ghefira Azzahra, and Zahra Dwi Maharani received the Excellence Award (우수상) for their outstanding works, which were recognized for their creativity, language proficiency, and storytelling ability.

Through this event, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), and the Korea Foundation (KF) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening academic collaboration while providing meaningful learning opportunities for students.

Author: Eunike Serafia N.S

YOGYAKARTA – To commemorate its 80th anniversary, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at UGM held a volleyball tournament specifically for educational staff on Friday (July 3, 2026). The event, which took place on the field in front of the Margono Building at FIB, was intended as an expression of gratitude and an opportunity to strengthen solidarity among educational staff.

The event, attended by approximately 50 participants, was officially opened at 7:00 a.m. WIB by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at UGM, Mr. Setiadi, S.S., M.Hum., who served the first ball.

The matches were fiercely contested starting from the semifinals. In the men’s category, the competition was divided into four teams based on color: white, blue, red, and yellow. After a long and dramatic rally, the red team emerged as the champion after defeating the blue team in the final, followed by the yellow team in third place. Meanwhile, in the women’s category, the yellow team dominated and successfully claimed first place after securing a decisive victory over the green team.

The high level of enthusiasm came not only from the players but also from the supporters, who were cheering loudly from the sidelines. Yazid, a part-time staff member in the FIB Public Relations Office, also shared in this excitement.

“Today’s competition was so exciting. I hope events like this will continue in the future as a form of solidarity among the faculty and staff of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences,” he said on the sidelines of the event.

The Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), is pleased to announce the Call for Papers (CFP) for its 2026 International Dissemination event, themed “Literature in the Crosscurrents of Globalization.” The event will be held online via Zoom Meeting on 4 November 2026, bringing together academics, researchers, lecturers, students, teachers, and literature enthusiasts from Indonesia and around the world to discuss the dynamic relationships between literature, culture, and society in today’s global context.

In addition to serving as an international academic forum, the event offers valuable publication opportunities, including publication in an ISBN-registered edited volume. Selected papers will also be recommended for publication in Poetika: Jurnal Ilmu Sastra (SINTA 2 accredited). Participation is free of charge, with no registration fee required.

The theme, “Literature in the Crosscurrents of Globalization,” reflects the increasingly intensive encounters among diverse cultures, values, and perspectives in the era of globalization. Advances in digital technology, human mobility, and transnational information exchange have transformed contemporary social and cultural life. Within this context, literature functions not only as a representation of reality but also as a space where identities, ideologies, traditions, and human experiences are negotiated, contested, and reimagined.

According to Rini Febriani, Chair of the Organizing Committee, the forum is expected to become a platform for exchanging ideas and research findings on cultural transformations occurring in today’s global society.

“Through this event, we aim to create a space for dialogue that brings together scholars and researchers from diverse backgrounds to discuss how literature represents, critiques, and transforms cultural changes in the era of globalization. We hope this dissemination forum will expand academic networks and foster productive research collaborations,” she stated.

The CFP welcomes submissions under several subthemes, including:

• Cultural Industry and the Standardization of Literature
• Literature as a Site of Power Negotiation
• Myth-Making in Popular Literature
• Contestation and Demystification of Narratives in Global Space
• Reconfiguring Localities in Globality

These subthemes provide opportunities for scholars to explore literary studies and cultural phenomena relevant to the development of contemporary global society.

Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum., Head of the Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, also expressed his support for the event. He emphasized that globalization not only facilitates interactions among cultures but also shapes the politics of literary production on a global scale.

“The themes emerging in contemporary literary works do not arise by chance. Behind their emergence lie global dynamics and power relations that influence the direction of literary production worldwide. Issues such as the environment, gender, and other contemporary concerns are often part of global currents that shape literary trends and orientations. Therefore, literature should be understood not only as an aesthetic work but also as an integral part of political economy and global cultural dynamics,” he explained.

Paper submission and registration will be open from 29 June to 4 September 2026. The peer-review process will take place from 5–26 September 2026, with acceptance notifications announced on 28 September 2026. Revised manuscripts must be submitted by 5 October 2026, while presentation materials are due on 26 October 2026. The International Dissemination Forum will be held on 4 November 2026.

Participants are invited to submit full papers in English through the official registration link provided by the organizing committee. Submitted manuscripts should be between 5,000 and 7,000 words and will undergo a selection and peer-review process before being accepted for presentation at the conference.

Through this International Dissemination event, the Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, aims to strengthen national and international academic networks, encourage cross-institutional collaboration, and provide a productive platform for scholarly discussions on literature and culture amid the complexities of globalization.

Further Information

Registration: https://bit.ly/Desiminasi2026UGM

General Information: https://bit.ly/GeneralInfoDissemination2026

WhatsApp Contacts:

• Ella: +62 823-2494-4082
• Mita: +62 813-9056-4071

Email: diseminasiugm@gmail.com

Author: Rini Febriani Hauri