UNAIR NEWS A student from the Department of Indonesian Language and Literature (Sasindo) has officially secured research funding through the Research Assistance Program (Banlit). Muhimatul Khoiriyah, widely known as Hima, successfully earned a research grant from Bank Indonesia. The award provided financial support for her undergraduate thesis through one of the country檚 leading institutions.
From the beginning, Hima wanted her thesis to deliver broader value beyond personal academic achievement or institutional benefit for UNAIR. She later discovered Bank Indonesia檚 research assistance initiative and applied through the Regular (Expansion) Banlit scheme, which allows students outside the Faculty of Economics and Business to participate.
Non-economics background became an opportunity
Hima檚 research explores a relatively underexamined topic: hoaxes falsely claiming affiliation with Bank Indonesia through the perspective of forensic linguistics. Every year, Bank Indonesia releases official clarifications regarding misleading information circulating in public spaces, highlighting the ongoing spread of fraudulent narratives. 淗oaxes impersonating Bank Indonesia continue to appear through various methods, even mimicking the institution檚 authority. This issue can be analyzed through forensic linguistics because hoaxes are essentially narrative texts, Hima explained.
The selection process proved highly competitive. Hima was required to complete both the research preparation and proposal writing within a two-month period. After submission through UNAIR檚 Banlit coordinator, the proposal underwent an anonymous review by evaluators from Bank Indonesia and external reviewers. According to Hima, the blind review process worked to her advantage because the assessment focused entirely on the quality of the research rather than the applicant檚 identity or university background. She was selected in December 2025 and received the first 50 percent of the funding in February 2026.
BI Banlit funding
The initial disbursement immediately strengthened the progress of her research. It allowed her to access subscription-based academic journals and purchase both digital and printed reference materials without financial constraints. The remaining 50 percent of the grant is scheduled to be distributed in June 2026 after the program concludes. 淚檓 incredibly happy. My original goal has been realized, my thesis is not only meaningful for myself, but can also contribute academically to Bank Indonesia, said the Faculty of Humanities student.
Hima hopes her research can support Bank Indonesia in two key areas: creating a deterrent effect for hoax creators through a forensic linguistics approach and helping the public identify characteristics of false information falsely attributed to the institution. She also encouraged fellow UNAIR students not to limit themselves based on their academic discipline. According to Hima, the Bank Indonesia Research Assistance Program is open to students from all fields, and interdisciplinary perspectives can create valuable opportunities.
Author: Yongki Eka Cahya
Editor: Ragil Kukuh Imanto
