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!
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.
Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is further solidifying its reputation as a World-Class University. This commitment is evident through its ongoing cross-cultural exchange program, operating under the U-to-U scheme, between Universitas Gadjah Mada and the National University of Singapore (NUS). This exchange is divided into three main parts: online sessions via Zoom Meeting Room, offline activities in Yogyakarta, and offline engagements in Singapore. This exchange program began in early June and concluded in mid-October 2023.
This year, 24 participants participated in this exchange, including 10 English Department students from UGM and 14 students from NUS enrolled in various study programs. The participants from UGM are Anisa Sofiana, Anis Daika, Aulia Muchtarom, Gabriella Herma, Jesse Puspita, Leni Cahya, Maulita Shinta, Mellyana Nugky, Misma Daud, and Nur Aini Putri. This exchange program is an integral part of Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Independent Learning Program (MBKM), coordinated by the English Department within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. On the NUS side, it is managed by the Impact Experience (IEx) program. The supervisors assigned to this program are Alvanita, M.Ed., and Rahmawan Jatmiko, M.A., at UGM, while Miguel Escobar, Ph.D., oversees the NUS side of the exchange.
This exchange program aims to enrich students’ knowledge, particularly those enrolled in the “Introduction to Multiculturalism through Folklore and Mythology” course. Throughout the program, students not only learn how to foster intercultural dialogue but also gain insights into art and environmental issues. A primary objective is the creation of a digital archive for the art and environmental communities. Participants in this exchange also collaborate with two local communities, Balai Budaya Minomartani and Tactic Plastic, working closely together from September 24th to 29th, 2023, following extensive discussions during the online sessions.
Furthermore, during their time in Singapore (8-11 October 2023), participants had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the fast-paced and multicultural environment of Singapore. They attended classes led by several distinguished lecturers, including Dr. Priza Mahendraputra, Erica Soh, Miguel Escobar, Ph.D., and Dr. Kiven Strohm. In addition, Dr. Daniel Ps Goh, Vice Dean of NUS College, warmly welcomed the participants during their visit, expressing his hope that this exchange would continue to bring mutual benefits to both universities.
It’s worth mentioning that this exchange program has been running for around a decade, beginning as part of the Multiculturalism and Interculturalism classes at UGM and NUS, respectively. However, the COVID-19 epidemic has prompted a three-year shift to virtual exchanges. This year marks a return to in-person exchange. Moreover, this year’s program takes on a new form as an integral part of the MBKM and IEX initiatives.
Written by: Alvanita
Credit photo:
@thwhoai (Nguyen Thu Hoai)
@nuscollege
Misma Ro Daud, Anis Daika, Rahmawan Jatmiko
On Monday, September 12, UGM hosted its day one virtual exchange meeting with NUS students in 2022. This is the eighth year since the commencement of this exchange program. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both institutions had to conduct the events virtually for the past three years. Participating in this exchange program were UGM students enrolled in the course “Introduction to Multiculturalism: Folklore & Mythology” and NUS students enrolled in the course “Reinventing Intercultural Exchange.” Before the event began, Mr. Adi Sutrisno, as the head of the English Studies Program, gave a welcoming speech to all the participating students. The event continued with Mr. Miguel Escobar Varela, Bapak Rahmawan Jatmiko, and Ibu Alvanita explaining the program and the basic culture of Indonesia and Singapore in order to offer the participants a better understanding of both countries. This virtual dialog focused on addressing the city, lifestyle, and arts from multiple views since the theme of this program is “The Stories of Our Cities.”
Under the supervision of Mr. Miguel Escobar Varela, Mr. Rahmawan Jatmiko, and Mrs. Alvanita, these students will meet virtually one month in advance. This online interaction aims to promote multicultural understanding, particularly between Indonesia and Singapore. In addition, students are expected to find nuanced ways to talk about cultural differences and similarities. Students will therefore participate in group discussions to share their experiences, knowledge, and anecdotes. Each individual has the opportunity to present their selected topic, with the other providing feedback.
