Yogyakarta is not only a place for international students to pursue their education, but also a space to learn about Indonesia's diversity up close. Interacting with local communities, getting to know local culture, and understanding the values that shape everyday life are all inseparable parts of the academic experience.

This perspective came to the fore during the second session of the International Student Orientation & Empowerment Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, held Wednesday (9/23/2026) in the 2nd-Floor Meeting Room of the Saifuddin Zuhri Building (PAU). Organized by the Center for Developing Cooperation and International Affairs (CDCIA), the program featured two orientation sessions designed to help international students understand the social and cultural environment in which they will pursue their academic life.

In the second session, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Wildan, M.A., presented material titled “Understanding Indonesia: Negotiating Cultural Identity and Religious Diversity in Everyday Life,” inviting students to see Indonesia as a nation built from a wide range of languages, ethnicities, cultures, and religions.

With a population of around 284 million people, Indonesia is home to hundreds of ethnic groups and more than 700 languages and dialects. This diversity, according to Prof. Wildan, forms an essential part of the identity of Indonesian society.

He introduced a number of ethnic groups and cultural riches across Indonesia, including the Javanese, Sundanese, Minangkabau, Balinese, Dayak, Batak, and Toraja peoples. This diversity manifests in many forms, language, food, tradition, and everyday practices.

“Indonesia is a woven of difference” was one of the images used to describe how difference is woven into the very fabric of Indonesian life.

Diversity is also evident in religious life. Indonesia is a nation with a Muslim-majority population, while also being home to communities of varied religious and spiritual backgrounds. Prof. Wildan explained that Islam in Indonesia itself encompasses a diversity of traditions and practices, while community life is also shaped by the presence of Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian communities.

Within this context of shared life, students were introduced to Pancasila as the five principles forming the foundation of a plural nation's life. These values, he said, are key to understanding how diversity can coexist within Indonesian society.

For international students, understanding this diversity is more than simply knowledge about Indonesia. Cultural understanding serves as preparation for building better interactions with the community during their time living and studying in Yogyakarta.

Understanding of the local environment continued through a session titled “Becoming an International Student in Yogyakarta,” delivered by Prof. Suherman, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Partnership and Global Relations (DKRG) at Universitas Gadjah Mada).

Prof. Suherman introduced Yogyakarta as both a city of education and a city of culture. With hundreds of universities and hundreds of thousands of students, Yogyakarta offers an environment where students from a wide range of backgrounds can meet, interact, and build networks.

Beyond academic life, students were also introduced to Yogyakarta's character as a special region home to a Sultanate. The presence of the Yogyakarta Palace (Keraton), its rich traditions, and various cultural and tourist destinations mean that the learning experience in Yogyakarta extends well beyond the campus environment.

Students were introduced to a number of destinations that form part of Yogyakarta's cultural and geographic landscape, including the Yogyakarta Palace, Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, Mount Merapi, and the coastal areas of Gunungkidul.

Yet living in Yogyakarta also requires the ability to "blend in with the community." Students were reminded to respect local rules and local wisdom, to learn simple expressions in both Indonesian and Javanese, and to understand the customs of the local community.

Simple gestures such as saying thank you, excuse me, good morning, matur nuwun (thank you, in Javanese), or nyuwun sewu (excuse me, in Javanese) can serve as an initial gateway to building closer communication with the community.

Students were also reminded to obey traffic regulations, ensure their housing meets required standards, exchange currency only through official money changers, and pay attention to the various rules that apply while in Indonesia.

In everyday life, students were also encouraged to build relationships with local students, lecturers, and the wider campus community. The use of app-based transportation and digital payment methods such as QRIS was also introduced as part of daily life in Yogyakarta.

Notably, the adaptation emphasized in the session did not stop at social and cultural life. Students were also encouraged to understand how the university's systems and work culture function.

“Do not only learn at university, but also learn how the university works.”

This message emphasized that being an international student also means understanding the ecosystem in which they study. Students need to familiarize themselves with the university's working procedures, respect the working hours of administrative staff, follow academic and administrative regulations, and understand the customs that shape everyday life on campus.

In this way, the process of adaptation is not simply about knowing what is and isn't allowed, but also about building the ability to read context, respect differences, and position oneself appropriately within a new environment.

This series of orientation sessions complemented the first session, which covered immigration matters and independent learning. While the first session helped students prepare on the administrative and academic front, the second broadened their perspective on Indonesia, Yogyakarta, and the social environment in which they will grow throughout their studies.

Through this program, UIN Sunan Kalijaga not only welcomes students from various countries into its academic environment, but also opens space for them to understand Indonesia through direct, lived experience.

Ultimately, the presence of international students creates a two-way learning process. They come to study at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, while also bringing the language, culture, experience, and perspective of their home countries. In that space of encounter, diversity becomes part of the educational experience at UIN Sunan Kalijaga. (humassk)