From August 4 to 29, 2025, Ashar Murdihastomo, a doctoral candidate in Performing and Visual Arts Studies at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), led a cross-disciplinary research team in the Netherlands. The team was awarded a highly competitive grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) through the Research into Collections with a Colonial Context program. Out of numerous international proposals, only eleven were selected, and Ashar’s team was among those chosen.

Over nearly a month, the team conducted research at the Wereldmuseum and the Rijksmuseum, focusing on Indonesian sculptures from the eighth to the fifteenth century. Using 2D and 3D scanning technologies, the team documented the sculptures with high precision. The project involved researchers from the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), covering archaeology, archaeometry, sustainable cultural studies, and artificial intelligence, as well as computational experts from the University of Twente.

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The Nitilaku Parade at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) took place, commemorating the university’s 75th anniversary and its 15th Lustrum. The event attracted thousands of participants, including PSPSR UGM’s academic community, alumni, and local residents, filling the Sekip and Bulaksumur areas of the campus in a celebration that was not just a ceremony, but also a powerful reinforcement of national unity.

This year’s Nitilaku Parade was not merely a procession—it was a profound journey back in time, reflecting the long history of UGM from its founding in Kraton to its current location in Sekip and Bulaksumur. The event encouraged participants to reflect on the spirit of struggle that led to the establishment of the university and its significant role in Indonesia’s history. The parade conveyed a powerful message of national unity, reminding everyone that despite Indonesia’s diversity, the spirit of togetherness remains essential.

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In December 2023, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Indonesia, in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, held a selection for a cultural internship program at the Indonesia Centre, Busan University of Foreign Studies (BUFS). This program aims to introduce Indonesian culture within the framework of cultural diplomacy in South Korea.

The Indonesia Centre at BUFS, inaugurated in June 2022, functions as a center for cultural diplomacy and strengthens Indonesia-South Korea relations. The internship program runs for three months, from April to June 2024, with five selected participants living in campus dormitories and interacting with local students. This allows for a deeper exchange of information and cultural introduction. One of the selected participants is Veronika Dian Anggarapeni, a student from PSPSR UGM.

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