SGDs 4: Quality Education | SGDs 4: Literacy skill | SGDs 17: Global partnership | SGDs 17: Partnerships for the Goals

On Wednesday, 18 July 2024, english Department UGM received a  visit from Prof. Angus James Nicholls, Ph.D, professor of Comparative Literature and German Language of  Queen Mary University of London and Dr. Soe Tjen Marching, a lecturer in South East Asian studies in School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London. The purpose of Prof. Angus James Nicholls, Ph.D and Dr. Soe Tjen Marching’s visit was to discuss a possibility of partnership between the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, especially the English Literature Program and Department of Language and Literature, with Queen Mary University of London and SOAS University of London to fulfil IKU 6. The discussion was conducted at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, led by Dr. Nur Saktiningrum, M.Hum., Vice Dean of Academic and Student Affairs and a lecturer in the English Department UGM. 

The topic regarding the challenges of teaching literature in the era of technological development was discussed in the meeting. One of the challenges is how to anticipate the use of AI in literary studies. AI’s ability to automatically generate text can be an obstacle in the learning process if being abused by students. Another example of the challenges is how to teach literature to Gen Z, through digital media and social media.

Apart from the discussion about challenges in teaching literature in the current era, there was also a discussion about the forms of collaboration that can be implemented between the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, especially the English Literature Program and Department of Language and Literature, with Queen Mary University of London and SOAS University of London. The potential collaborations can be done through some courses (such as World Literature and Comparative Literature) and a collaborative class in the form of team teaching. These collaborations have many possibilities to be developed in the future.

Fifteen selected English Department Students will receive 1,6 million rupiahs subsidy for taking IELTS test.

Eligibility

English Department student who

• Has at least 3,5 GPA
• Is willing to take the test before the middle of October

Application Requirements

• English proficiency certificate (not compulsory)
• GPA transcript
• Motivation letter
• CV

Submit all of the required documents via bit.ly/SubsidiTesIELTS2024 by 10 July 2024.

Join us for our upcoming Career Talk: Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs! Hear from Mohammad Wahid Supriyadi, our distinguished alumni who have made his mark in the field of international relations. Do not miss this chance to gain insights into his journeys, tips for breaking into the field, and the skills needed for success!

SGDs 4: Quality Education| SGDs 5: Gender Equality | SGDs 5: Empowerment of Women|  SGDs 10: Reduced Inequalities | SGDs 17: Fostering Innovation

Bulan Churniati, an English Department student batch 2021, achieved the Penghargaan Favorit Pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi UGM 2024 awards on Pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi UGM 2024 event. Before receiving this award, Bulan accomplished many achievements, for example, the winner of Digital Entrepreneurship Hackathon 2023 by held UNESCO UNITWIN in South Korea, the third place in the national competition Publicly Digital Legal Innovation 2023 held by Oleco, dan became the ambassador of Millennial KAMI Foundation x Tjorak Sorai 2023.

Bulan is committed to give her best efforts in everything she does. This strong determination stems from her will to partake in women empowerment. 

“Wong wedok ora usah melu-melu, which means: women are not supposed to intervene. That saying is embedded in my heart and mind. This is the reason I participate in prestigious awards and build a branding around this issue. I just want other women to realize that new opportunities are available to us, and I hope those women will use those chances. I do not want to be the only woman who fights for this, I want to join forces with other women as well.” Said Bulan about her motivation to participate in Pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi UGM 2024. 

Bulan went through a long process to prepare herself for participating in this event. The first step she had to undergo was the administration selection. She had to prepare three things on this stage. First, an English proficiency certificate. If the participant does not have an English proficiency certificate yet, they will be facilitated to take the AcEPT test if they pass to the next stage. Second, list of achievements. The limited number of achievements to be included in the list is ten, so the participant should select the best achievements they have. Third, an innovation proposal. In this event, Bulan wrote a proposal titled “In-Eksklusif: Program Peningkatan Kesempatan Eksklusif untuk Pelaku Ekonomi Inklusif”, a program to increase exclusive opportunities for inclusive businesses. This proposal correlates with Bulan’s IT background and humanistic perspective. 

In the faculty selection, the participant will present their ideas and answer questions from the juries in a 30-minute session. One student will be granted the award of Mahasiswa Berprestasi Utama and represent the faculty in the Supercamp event, where they will present their list of achievements and innovation proposals. In this event, the committee will select three winners for three categories: bachelor program, diploma program, and favorite.

Bulan gained valuable insights after participating in Pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi UGM 2024, “We have to prepare ourselves to be let down by the results if we are participating in competition. We also have to make sure that we have adequate experiences.”

After winning the Penghargaan Favorit Pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi UGM 2024 award, Bulan went back to her daily routine. She is currently working on her thesis, while also still participating in many competitions and positive activities. Bulan said she still wants to try competing in this event, if she has not graduated next year. She also encouraged other students to participate in the Pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi UGM event, “For other students in the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, don’t be afraid to send your application! There are not many students in our faculty who are willing to participate in this event. Don’t forget to prepare all the documents early because of the short period of the submission. Always be humble, because being a Mahasiswa Berprestasi doesn’t transform you into the student with the highest position; you are just a representative.”

Two representatives of English Department UGM: Alvanita, M. Ed. and Paris Mercurio visited MA Al Ikhlas Berbah on Saturday, 11 March 2024. This event is a part of community services conducted by English Department UGM. Headmistress of MA Al Ikhlas Berbah, Ika Bude Lestari, S.Pd., gave a warm welcoming speech in the beginning of the event. Afterwards, the presentation and Q&A sessions began.

In the presentation session, Alvanita, M.Ed. motivated the students to learn English. She highlighted how important it is to be proficient in English, especially if one wants to pursue higher education or professional careers. She also gave the students tips on learning English outside the class. The second presenter, Paris Mercurio told the students about her experiences living in the United States. She gave the students tips to overcome their nervousness when using English in conversations. The students, who were shy to respond at the presentation session, gradually became more engaged throughout the Q&A session. 

Students and teachers of MA Al-Ikhlas Berbah responded positively towards the event, sharing their opinions that other programs to increase students’ interest in learning English should be conducted again in the future. The urgency of conducting those programs is due to low frequency of English learning in rural areas like Berbah, which is affected by the existing presumption of the lack of urgency to be proficient in English.

Alvanita, M.Ed. discussed the continuation of this program with the English teacher of MA Al-Ikhlas Berbah (Ervina Juli Aryani) after the event. One of the proposed activities is increasing English literacy through reading literature works. Every week, the students will read English short stories and write their reviews. Afterwards, an offline discussion monitored by Alvanita, M.Ed. and Ms. Ervina will be conducted every one or two months in order to track the students’ progress in learning English.

Interested to expand your knowledge about culture? We are pleased to offer English Department students to be a part of “Cross Cultural Exchange Program” with National University Of Singapore. The best six students will be selected to join the program. Enroll now!

On Thursday, 29th of February 2024, English Department UGM accepted a visit from the representative of Oberlin Shansi, Mr. Gavin Tritt, to discuss new collaboration programs between two universities that have undergone seventy-years of partnership. One of the programs discussed is Oberlin Shansi’s Visiting Scholar Program, once participated in by Mr. Adi Sutrisno, the Head of the English Department. The Oberlin Shansi’s Visiting Scholar Program is a fully funded program by Oberlin Shansi which allows the English Department lecturers to improve their scholarly growth. 

During the stay at Oberlin, the lecturers will do various activities: auditing courses to observe undergraduate teaching, learning new research methodologies, developing their academic writing, utilizing college resources and faculty mentorship to develop research projects and proposals, and many more. Upon their return from this program, the participating lecturers are expected to share their experiences during their stay at Oberlin, mentor other faculty members who are searching for international opportunities, and continue the collaboration with Oberlin Shansi. The program typically lasts for a semester, but Oberlin Shansi welcomes lecturers who proposed shorter visits as well. 

This program will provide opportunities for English Department lecturers to gain new insight and experiences for their professional development. Along with other forms of collaboration, Oberlin Shansi’s Visiting Scholar Program will help to strengthen the partnership between the English Department and Oberlin Shansi. 

SGDs 4: Quality Education | SGDs 17: Partnerships For The Goals

At the end of 2023, “Harmony in Diversity: A Journey from Jogja to Singapore, and Back” emerged as an inspiring collaborative work between the lecturers and students of the English Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM and National University of Singapore (NUS). Along the program, the participants gained a lot of new knowledge regarding cross-cultural interaction; a valuable experience that highlights the importance of celebrating diversity and eliminating the barriers that may hinder the unity among cultures. 

This book is divided into several chapters, written by two lecturers of the English Department (Alvanita, S.S., M.Ed., dan Rahmawan Jatmiko, S.S., M.A.) and ten students of English Department: Maulita Shinta, Misma Ro Daud, Jesse Puspita, Leni Cahya, Mellyana Nungki, Anisa Sofiana, Aulia Muchtarom, Gabriella Novianti, Anis Daika, dan Nur Aini. Those chapters offer fresh perspectives on multiculturalism in Singapore and Indonesia, broadening readers’ awareness of cross-cultural interaction. 

“Harmony in Diversity: A Journey from Jogja to Singapore, and Back”  is a valuable contribution in the topic of multiculturalism and cross-cultural exchange. The writers bring the readers on a journey to reflect how vital communication and cross-cultural awareness are. This collaboration is expected to inspire other cross-cultural exchange programs and academic partnerships in the future, promoting the celebration of harmony in diversity.

On last Friday, 19th of January 2024, English Department bid goodbye to one of our Shansi Fellows, Samantha Perez. Through her 2,5 years of fellowship, Sam has motivated English Department students to perfect their language skills. Although it is difficult for us to say farewell to Sam, we wish her the best in her future journey. Goodluck, Sam!

Join our dynamic team at IONs International Education for an enriching experience in international education! We are thrilled to offer internship positions in three vital areas for the Even semester, commencing in February/March and concluding in May/early June 2024. Do not hesitate to contact +447460070516 (Adiba) if you need more information!