UNS – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta has organized a Javanese Culture Short Course for students from Xihua University, following the Cooperation Agreement (PKS) Number 812/UN27.01/HK.07.00/2023 concerning the Double Degree Program with Xihua University. The opening ceremony of the short course was held in the Seminar Room of Building I Suharno FIB UNS on Monday (15/7/2024).
Present at the opening of the Javanese Culture Short Course for students from Xihua University was the Acting Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs of UNS, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ahmad Yunus, M.S., who expressed his hopes for the success of the program.
“Through this program, students from Xihua University will learn about Javanese culture directly from the lecturers at FIB UNS. I hope our friends from Xihua University can directly experience Javanese cultural life, especially around UNS. I also hope this program will be beneficial for both parties,” Prof. Yunus said in his opening remarks.
This Javanese Culture Short Course is attended by seven students from Xihua University over the next 12 days. The Dean of FIB UNS, Prof. Dr. Warto, M.Hum., stated that although the introduction to Javanese culture is brief, it is very meaningful for both parties in strengthening future cooperation. Through this cultural gateway, Prof. Warto hopes that students from Xihua University will gain a deeper understanding of Indonesia, particularly Javanese culture, and that UNS students will learn about Chinese culture, especially Bashu culture.
For the next two weeks, the UNS Mandarin Language Center will serve as a bridge for exchange and cooperation between the two universities and will strive to provide adequate attention to the students.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Confucius Institute UNS from China side, Dr. Fan Jie, M.Li., hopes that through this two-week student exchange, students will not only learn and experience different cultures but also exhibit a proactive, humble, and friendly spirit. “I hope you not only discover new things but also make many new friends,” Dr. Fan Jie, M.Li. said.
The students from Xihua University are accompanied by the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Literature and Journalism at Xihua University, Fan Jia. He advised all participants in the short course to fully understand Javanese culture under the guidance of the FIB lecturers and to maintain team cooperation.
One of the short course participants expressed that his interest in Javanese culture motivated him to join the program. “I love learning about the arts. Besides that, I play the Guzheng (Chinese zither), which seems similar to traditional Javanese musical instruments,” Fan Lichen said when asked by the Head of the Javanese Culture Short Course Program, Dr. M. Bagus Sekar Alam, S.S., M.Si.
Subsequently, the short course participants from Xihua University, accompanied by several FIB lecturers and students from the S-1 Mandarin Language and Chinese Culture (BMTK), took a campus tour to familiarize themselves with the UNS environment.
Humas UNS
Reporter: Annisa Fakhira
Editor: Dwi Hastuti