A research team from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) recently conducted a comparative literature study between Vietnam and Indonesia in Hanoi, Vietnam, as part of the University's efforts to expand its academic network and strengthen research collaboration across Southeast Asia. The initiative also supports UNY's broader commitment to the internationalization of higher education.
The research team, led by Prof. Dr. Suroso, M.Pd., together with Eko Triono, M.Pd., Wijang Iswara Mukti, M.Pd., and Ratna Intan Sari, M.Pd., examined comparative aspects of Vietnamese and Indonesian literature. The study focused on mapping Vietnamese students' knowledge and perceptions of Indonesian literature, particularly among those interested in Indonesian Studies and Southeast Asian Studies.
The research began at VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) in Hanoi. During discussions with academics and students specializing in Indonesian Studies, Dr. Ho Thi Thanh, an expert in Indonesian for Speakers of Other Languages (BIPA) at USSH, raised an important question regarding the extent to which Indonesian institutions study the languages and literatures of other Southeast Asian countries, considering that the Indonesian language has been taught widely throughout the region. This question became a valuable starting point for the UNY team's comparative literature research.
On the occasion, Prof. Suroso emphasized the importance of fostering mutual understanding among Southeast Asian communities through cultural and literary studies. He noted that the geographical proximity and long-standing historical ties between Indonesia and Vietnam provide a strong foundation for expanding academic cooperation, particularly in the field of literature.
The research continued at Hanoi University (HANU), where the team conducted discussions on Indonesian literature while collecting data through questionnaires and interviews to explore Vietnamese students' perspectives on the literature of both countries. The researchers found considerable enthusiasm for Indonesia among HANU students, despite Indonesian language instruction at the university currently being offered as a non-degree language course.
One particularly interesting finding emerged during an interview with Liên, a HANU student majoring in Italian. She shared that she had previously read Andrea Hirata's internationally acclaimed novel Laskar Pelangi, translated into Vietnamese under the title Chiến Binh Cầu Vồng. This observation was further confirmed when the research team visited a local bookstore in Hanoi, where the Vietnamese translation remained readily available alongside works by Vietnamese authors.
The findings suggest that Indonesian literature has successfully reached readers in Vietnam, creating promising opportunities for broader and more collaborative Southeast Asian literary studies in the future. Through international research initiatives such as this, UNY continues to strengthen regional academic networks and advance its vision of becoming a World-Class University (WCU). At the same time, the project contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by advancing knowledge and research, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering international academic collaboration across Southeast Asia.
