Bali, January 14–16, 2025 — The Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) successfully held the 17th International Asian Urbanization Conference (IAUC). The conference, themed “Rethinking Sustainable Urban Development and Urban Futures in the Digital Age,” took place at Prime Plaza Hotel Sanur, Bali. The IAUC was chaired by Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T., Director of CESASS UGM. The event was supported by the Asian Urban Research Association (AURA) and the Faculty of Geography UGM. It attracted significant international academic attention, with a total of 59 abstracts, 31 presenters, and 6 participants from 9 countries: Indonesia, the United States, Germany, Romania, France, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, and Taiwan.
The conference featured distinguished international experts as keynote speakers, including Prof. George Pomeroy (Executive Director of AURA and Professor of Geography and Earth Science at Shippensburg University), Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T. (Director of CESASS UGM and Professor of Urban Geography, UGM), Prof. Frauke Kraas (Coordinator of the Forum for Urban Future in Southeast Asia and Professor of Urban Development at the University of Cologne), and Prof. Emeritus Dr. Debnath Mookherjee (Professor of Geography, College of the Environment, Western Washington University), who joined virtually. Additionally, the conference hosted invited speakers, including Prof. Liliana Dumitrache (Professor of Human and Economic Geography at the University of Bucharest) and Prof. Yves Boquet (Professor of Transportation Geography at the University of Bourgogne).
The opening remarks were delivered by Prof. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T., Director of CESASS and chair of the conference, followed by Prof. George Pomeroy, Director of AURA, and Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, Dean of the Faculty of Geography UGM, via video messages. Alongside scientific presentation sessions that discussed various strategic issues in sustainable urban development, the conference served as a vital platform for strengthening international academic connections and collaborations among speakers, presenters, and participants.
Conference attendees also participated in a field trip to observe sustainable urban development practices firsthand in Bali. As the host, CESASS UGM hopes this event has made a meaningful contribution to strengthening and expanding international collaborations across Southeast Asia and beyond, while addressing the challenges of sustainable urban and social development in the digital age.