History of the Faculty of Humanities, Udayana University

The Faculty of Humanities was established under the initiative of the Nusa Tenggara Faculty Foundation led by Lt. Col. Minggoe and Deputy I, Governor of Sunda Kecil, Teuku Mochamad Daoedsjah. This foundation works with people who have special expertise in the field of literature such as Dr. R. Goris, Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra, and I Gusti Ketut Ranuh. These people, in addition to preparing things related to the physical aspect, also act as liaisons to recruit people who will become lecturers (teaching staff), especially those who will become leaders of the faculties that will be formed. The person who was successfully contacted was Prof. Dr. R. M. Ng.  Poerbatjaraka. He would be the leader and at that time served as The Dean of the Faculty of Letters and Culture, Gadjah Mada University. The teaching staff that were being contacted are prioritized for those who possessed doctoral degrees. At that time, those who were successfully contacted were lecturers, especially staff who had doctoral degrees and had earned international names because of their scientific achievements: (1) Prof. Dr. R.M. Ng. Poerbatjaraka, (2) Dr. R. Goris, (3) Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra, and (4) Prof. Dr. Swami Ajarananda. After the completion of all preparations, the opening day was set on September 29th, 1958. The name given was Udayana, Faculty of Letters and Culture. The word culture then was removed at the suggestion of Prof. Dr. Prijono with the reason that the word 'literature' already contains a cultural meaning which includes a very broad meaning.

At its initial establishment (September–December 1958), the Udayana Faculty of Literature was fostered by the Nusa Tenggara Faculty Foundation but on January 1, 1959, it officially became part of Airlangga University until August 17, 1962, based on the decision of the Minister of Higher Education and Science No. 104 of 1962 dated August 9, 1962 concerning the Establishment of a State University in Denpasar. The first article of the decision stated that starting from August 17th, 1962 establishing a State University in Denpasar; the second article, separating the Faculty of Letters and the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education in Denpasar from Airlangga University, and includes them into the State University in Denpasar. This Ministerial Decree was later strengthened by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Indonesia No. 18 of 1963 dated January 31st, 1963 which ratified the establishment of Udayana University in Denpasar which at that time consisted of the Faculty of Letters, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, and the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education. Furthermore, based on the Rector's Decree No. 62A/UN14/HK/2013, the name of the Faculty of Letters was replaced with the Faculty of Letters and Culture. Based on the Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia No. 30 of 2016 dated April 22nd, 2016 concerning the Organization and Work Procedure of Udayana University and strengthened by the Rector's Decree No. 309/UN14/HK/2016 dated June 26th, 2016, the Faculty of Letters and Culture changed its name to the Faculty of Humanities Udayana University.

Currently, the Faculty of Humanities Udayana University is increasingly showing its identity as the Faculty of Humanities as reflected in  the appearance of the lobby building which is full of philosophical nuances which is the philosophical foundation of Balinese life. With the display of decorations with the theme of Mandara Giri on the coil kuri decoration at the front of the lobby building, with the statue of Dewi Saraswati in the lobby, and with the graceful installation of two inscriptions for the establishment of this beloved faculty, it is hoped that this can become a more solid source of inspiration towards greater success. The success was achieved because of a strong will to understand the continuity of the past with the present towards a brighter future.