FIB Unhas – A total of 1,020 new students were officially welcomed with a festive, culture-infused procession on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. The event, centered at the “Rumah Budaya” (House of Culture), marked the beginning of the academic journey for new students now joining the extended family of FIB Unhas.
Since morning, the faculty’s front yard was filled with new students accompanied by parents and relatives. The committee advised attendees not to use private vehicles, creating an orderly atmosphere with long lines snaking onto the sidewalks.
The procession began with a parade of new student representatives. Fourteen selected students led the line. Ten of them carried department name boards, ranging from Indonesian Literature, English Literature, Arabic Literature, French Literature, History, Japanese Literature, Mandarin Literature, Archaeology, Tourism, to Regional Literature.
Meanwhile, four other students—two male and two female—stood at the forefront as symbols of Sulapa Eppa’ (Four Sides), representing Bugis-Makassar cultural harmony. They were greeted at the “Rumah Budaya” gate with the traditional music of Renjang Pui-pui. The MC warmly greeted them: “Welcome, New Students of 2025, to the House of Culture of Universitas Hasanuddin. The place where knowledge and culture meet.”
The peak of the procession occurred when the Dean of FIB Unhas, Prof. Andi Muhammad Akhmar, accompanied by the Vice Deans, bestowed symbols of honor in the form of passapu, bando, and kandore upon the four student representatives. This procession was not just symbolic, but an official sign that the new students are now part of the FIB Unhas family.
Also assisting in the bestowment were the Vice Dean I for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Ilham; Vice Dean II for Planning and Resources, Dr. Rosmawati; and Vice Dean III for Partnership, Research, Innovation, and Alumni, Dr. Wahyudin.
After the procession, the new students were treated to cultural performances of Ramppak Gendang (Drum Ensemble) and the Manduppa Bosara Dance. This performance served as a marker that culture is not only studied but also lived within the FIB environment.
The event continued with a Cultural Oration from the Dean of FIB, Prof. Andi Muhammad Akhmar, titled “Digital Humanities and the Responsibility of the New Generation.” In his speech, he emphasized that the humanities are a human journey of seeking meaning through philosophy, literature, history, and art, which is now entering a new phase in the digital era.
Prof. Akhmar outlined three major waves of humanities transformation: text digitization from the 1940s–2000s, the exploration of digital creative spaces since the early 2000s, and the current phase where algorithms and code are viewed as cultural objects.
According to him, FIB students are strategically positioned to bridge the world of text and the world of data—from data-based analysis of literary texts, reconstruction of ancient sites with 3D models, to language mapping through analysis software.
“Education at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences is not enough if it only teaches technical skills,” he asserted. “Students need to develop critical awareness of technology, understand algorithmic logic, assess its impact, and place it within social and cultural frameworks.”
The Committee Chair, Khairil Anwar, added that every ornament in the welcoming procession was not just decoration, but an integral part that gave meaning to the entire event. From the parade, the Sulapa Eppa’ symbol, to the cultural oration, all were arranged to give a profound impression to the new students as the start of their academic journey.
With this welcoming, FIB Unhas affirms its commitment to providing education rooted in culture while remaining adaptive to digital developments. The 2025 new students are expected to become a resilient generation of humanists, ready to face the challenges of the new era without losing their cultural identity. (*)
