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Two Udayana University Archaeology Students Participate in the MBKM RIIM BRIN Program in the Bumiayu Area
Denpasar, 5 January 2026 — Two students from the Archaeology Study Program, Faculty of Humanities, Udayana University, participated in the MBKM RIIM program entitled “Exploration of Civilization in the Bumiayu Area and the Northern Serayu Mountains” Batch II, organized by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). This activity was conducted at the Bumiayu Field Station Area (KSL Bumiayu), located in Maribaya, Kalinusu, Bumiayu District, Brebes Regency, Central Java, which lasted for six months, from August 4, 2025, to January 19, 2026.
In the implementation of Batch II, the RIIM Program involved 25 students from four universities, consisting of 2 students from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), 20 students from Jambi University (UNJA), 2 students from Udayana University (UNUD), and 1 student from Jenderal Soedirman University (UNSOED), including students from non-archaeology backgrounds such as the Indonesian Literature Department.
The following are the names of Udayana University Archaeology Program students who participated in the MBKM Riset BRIN RIIM Batch II:
Syifa Sabrina Nabela Anggraeni, Class of 23. Member of the Colonial Civilization Influence Research Group.
Bulan Safitri Ramadhani, Class of 23. Member of the PRIMATE (Paleoanthropological Research in Indonesia: Migration, Adaptation, Transformation, and Evolution) Research Group.
The implementation of the MBKM BRIN RIIM Research Batch II is motivated by the importance of exploring and deepening studies on the traces of human civilization in the region. The Bumiayu area is one of the high-potential archaeological research sites, both in terms of cultural relics, geology, and fossils that represent environmental dynamics and human adaptation from prehistoric to colonial times.
In addition, the program was designed to foster students' academic and professional competencies in the field of cultural research, while strengthening the synergy between BRIN and universities in developing collaborative research. Therefore, this program is expected to contribute to the enrichment of archaeological, linguistic, and literary data and strengthen efforts to preserve cultural heritage as part of the development of science and national identity.
The series of MBKM RIIM Batch II activities began with an introduction to the MBKM BRIN program, the division of research groups, and the academic briefings delivered by experts in their fields, such as Prof. Harry Widianto, an expert in human paleoanthropology. & Drs. Thomas Sutikna, the discoverer of the Homo Floresiensis fossil. These activities were conducted online throughout August 2025. The activities continued with on-site research from September 1 to December 15, 2025, which included equipment training in the use of tools, excavation, ancient river surveys, artifact handling and finding, database management, and documentation of findings. In addition, students conducted surveys based on their respective research groups, such as colonial surveys that involved visiting colonial buildings in Bumiayu, and PRIMATE surveys that included visits to conservationists’ homes to observe fossil collections directly.
The activity continued with visits to the Semedo Museum in Tegal & the Sangiran Museum in Solo on December 16-18, 2025. There were also additional activities by participating in the research of DBR (Degree by Research) members. The program ended with an evaluation and assessment by MBKM BRIN on January 13-19, 2026.
Through this activity, students gained learning experiences outside the campus that not only broadened their academic horizons but also practically trained their research skills. “We hope that in the coming years, more students from the Archaeology Program at Udayana University will participate in this program. Additionally, we hope that the knowledge, experience, insights, and information gained can be shared with the wider community, especially fellow Archaeology students at Udayana University, so that this knowledge can continue to thrive and be beneficial, both now and in the future,” said one of the participants.
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES