Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) Yogyakarta secured third place in the Call for Papers competition at the Proyek Kebangsaan Nasional (National Civic Engagement Project), an initiative aimed at fostering national values and civic engagement among students, held at Petra Christian University (PCU), Surabaya, from November 21–23, 2024. Themed “Transforming Society for an Advanced Indonesia,” the program was part of the 2024/2025 academic year activities in courses such as Pancasila, Civic Education, and Indonesian Language. It featured six Christian universities across five provinces.
The participating universities included PCU, UKDW, Universiotas Kristen Krida Wacana (Ukrida, Jakarta), Universitas Kristen Indonesian (UKI, Jakarta), Universitas Kristen Indonesia “Paulus” (UKI Paulus, Makassar), Maranatha Christian University (Bandung), and UKDW Yogyakarta.
UKDW was represented by three students from the Center for Humanities **(MKH), who presented a scientific paper titled “Audience Reception Theory: The Role of Social Media X in Raising Awareness Against Sexual Violence.” The study examined how the platform X (formerly Twitter) advocates against sexual violence, especially among Generation Z.
“Our research analyzed the account @Tungtung1906 using Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory,” explained Icha Patricia, a student from the Informatics Department. Alongside teammates Yefta Indri (Informatics) and Eleonora Bintang (Product Design), the group highlighted that social media X functions not only as a tool for spreading information but also as an interactive communication space. “We recommend strengthening X’s moderation features and adopting more inclusive advocacy strategies to create a safer digital environment,” added Icha.
When the team was announced as third-place winners, Icha expressed surprise and gratitude. “I didn’t expect to win. I just focused on doing my best and contributing to this national project. Hearing our names called for third place, I felt overjoyed, surprised, and deeply thankful to God. I’m proud to bring this achievement home to our university,” she said.
Exhibition Highlights UKDW’s Community Engagement Efforts
In addition to the competition, UKDW joined other universities in showcasing their contributions through a learning exhibition. UKDW’s booth, which earned the title of third favorite, followed UPN Veteran East Java and UIN Sunan Ampel, both partnered with Petra Christian University.
The UKDW booth featured documentation of service-learning projects from courses like Human-Nature Interaction and Human Rights and Democracy Education. These electives aim to instill volunteerism among students by involving them in activities with partners such as Syantikara, Ohana, Recycle, Gusdurian, Sanggar Belajar Kaliwinongo, and Greenhills. Visitors were also invited to write their aspirations for Indonesia. “An advanced Indonesia, free from corruption and discrimination,” one visitor wrote.
National Civic Engagement Project: Fostering National Values
The National Civic Engagement Project aims to amplify student contributions to the nation. Organized by six Christian universities, the event featured debates, call for papers, workshops, exhibitions, and field trips. Students and faculty teaching mandatory curriculum courses actively participated.
“This project offered valuable insights into national values,” said Revyanto Tangiloang Sukardi, a participant from UKDW. “Interacting with students from other universities expanded my perspective and strengthened my love for the country.”
The initiative seeks to encourage Christian universities to contribute innovative ideas and impactful actions for the nation’s benefit. Revy hopes future projects will involve a broader range of participants and introduce creative programs to foster greater interactivity and community impact.
According to Martha Lusiana, S.S., M.A., the Coordinator of UKDW’s Center for Humanities, the six universities have signed an agreement to hold the National Civic Engagement Project annually. “It is an honor for UKDW to participate this year,” she said. “Next year’s event will be hosted by UKI in Jakarta, with plans to rotate among all partner universities, including UKDW as a future host.” [MKH/trans.drr]