Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR) proudly hosted the 47th Pertemuan Ilmiah Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia (PIBSI) — the Scientific Meeting on Indonesian Language and Literature — carrying the theme “Transformation of Indonesian Language and Literature Learning for Sustainable Development and Impactful Campuses.”
This prestigious two-day event was held on Wednesday–Thursday, October 29–30, 2025, at Morazen Hotel YIA, Kulon Progo.
The committee chair, Suryo Daru Santoso, M.Pd., reported that the event was attended by 100 presenters and 195 participants from various universities across Indonesia. The meeting served as a platform for networking, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas and knowledge among lecturers and researchers in the fields of education, language, and Indonesian literature. Through this forum, academics were encouraged to explore innovations and best practices in Indonesian language and literature learning oriented toward sustainable development, while also strengthening academic networks and inter-institutional collaboration.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Wati Istanti, M.Pd., Chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Language and Literature Education Lecturers (ADOBSI), expressed her appreciation to UMPWR for successfully organizing the event. She explained that PIBSI is an annual collaborative agenda between ADOBSI and higher education institutions, particularly in the Central Java and Yogyakarta regions.
The Rector of UMPWR, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teguh Wibowo, M.Pd., who officially opened the event, expressed his hope that PIBSI would serve as a forum to present new research findings, studies, and ideas related to the Indonesian language.
He also conveyed his aspiration for the Indonesian language to become an official international language.
“Bahasa Indonesia has been recognized by UNESCO, but it has not yet become an official working language. We hope that in the future, Indonesian can be recognized as an official international language,” he said.
The first day featured two keynote speakers: Prof. Dr. Harun Joko Prayitno (Professor and Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta) and Dr. Sudaryanto, founder of PIBSI. The day also included performances by UMPWR student activity units, such as a traditional welcoming dance and a poetry musicalization performance by Tim Bahtera and Teater Surya.
In the evening, parallel sessions were held for paper presentations, divided into three sub-themes: Language and Literature Learning, Linguistics, and Literature, followed by a meeting of program heads (Kaprodi) for discussion and networking.
On the second day, participants attended presentations from Dr. Ganjar Harimansyah (Secretary of the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, Ministry of Education and Culture), Prof. Dr. Muhammad Rohmadi, S.S., M.Hum. (Professor at Universitas Sebelas Maret), and Dr. Junaedi Setiyono, M.Pd. (author and lecturer at UMPWR).
Through the 47th PIBSI, academics reaffirmed their commitment to formulating directions and strategies for transforming Indonesian language and literature learning that align with contemporary needs and support the goals of Sustainable Development (SDGs).(Akb/KP)
