The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Yogyakarta, today graduated its best student from the Psychology, Sociology and Communication study program. Among them was one student who graduated from the communication science study program who received the title of the best thesis, Zumala Laili with the thesis title "NEGOTIATION OF STUDENT IDENTITY IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AT ULUL ALBAB Islamic Boarding School, BALIREJO UMBULHARJO YOGYAKARTA".

In her thesis, Zumala Laili brings a major theme of research on intercultural communication with a focus on field problems regarding misunderstandings in intercultural communication that often occur, sometimes there are words or sentences or behaviors that are considered normal but are rude by other cultures, lack of knowledge of language and culture. Cultural understanding often creates conflict. Furthermore, this study discusses how the process of negotiating the identity of Sundanese and Javanese ethnic students in intercultural communication at the Ulul Albab Islamic Boarding School Balirejo Umbulharjo Yogyakarta.

This study aims to determine the process of negotiating the identity of Sundanese and Javanese ethnic santri using descriptive qualitative methods with data collection through interviews and in-depth documentation with research subjects and using Identity Negotiation Theory. The subjects involved were 5 students and 1 lurah of the cottage as triangulation informants. The results of the study stated that Sundanese and Javanese students at the Ulul Albab boarding school needed an understanding of each other. Through the identity negotiation process, Sundanese and Javanese students communicate by feeling understood (feeling of being understood), feeling respected (feeling of being respected), and feeling valued (feeling being affirmative value).