“The Green Transition is hydrosocial, with real impacts in the here and now.” This argument was delivered by Adam Taylor from King’s College London during his presentation at the CESASS Talk Series hosted by the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada on September 22, 2025.

The presentation, titled “Desalination at Indonesia’s industrial frontier: approaches to water scarcity in the Green Transition”, presented the early stages of his PhD research. His fieldwork will commence in 2026.

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Yogyakarta, September 12, 2025 – Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) successfully hosted the CESASS-CHAT #3 in a hybrid format, held at the Indonesia Room, CESASS UGM. The session featured Jauza Rifa Abdurrafi, a student of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham. Delivering a presentation titled “Talent Migration and Economic Growth in Indonesia: Balancing Brain Drain, Brain Gain, and Institutional Capacity”, Jauza shed light on the realities of Indonesian migration and its significance for the nation’s future development.

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Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) participated in the ACICIS NGO Fair 2025 on Thursday, 21 August 2025, at the front area of Margono Building (Greenland), Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. Organized by Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) and supported by the Australian Government, the fair brought together leading NGOs in Yogyakarta to introduce internship and volunteer opportunities.

CESASS UGM welcomed more than 50 local and international visitors to its booth. Visitors were introduced to the ongoing programs, research activities, and opportunities for students and partners to get involved.

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Information has become a crucial asset in a globalised world order, speed and consistent transmission of information have become vital for a thriving digital economy. To facilitate this global flow of information, subsea communication cables connect every continent in a vast network. Current estimates suggest subsea cables transmit more than 95% of internet traffic, facilitating USD $10 trillion in financial transactions every day in the US financial sector alone (Brock, 2023; Goodman & Wayland, 2022). Additional research has stressed an increased cable manufacturing effort by several nation states, coupled with tense bidding for cable project contracts and the designation of placements, which disrupt the interests of other parties (Noor, 2024, p. 7-8). Arguably, this tense situation opens a new dimension to the ongoing security dilemma between regional superpowers in Southeast Asia, with uncertain and perhaps harmful outcomes. The fragility of these cables with their vital communication and electricity transmission capacity, will leave them as exposed desirable targets in conflict scenarios. I will additionally analyse two factors to consider from a global competition context: market driven interests and state driven interests.

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On 11–16 August 2025, a field survey was conducted in IKN (Nusantara Capital City) for the 2025 Fundamental Research scheme under the topic: “Smart Innovation and Waste Management Systems to Support the Implementation of a Smart City in Indonesia’s New Capital.”

The 2025 Fundamental Research Team is led by Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T. (Head of the Regional Development Program, Master of Geography UGM, and Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies UGM), with research members Prof. Dr. Eko Haryono, M.Si. (Lecturer at the Department of Environmental Geography and Head of the Doctoral Program in Environmental Science) and Ir. Agus Prasetya, M.Eng.Sc., Ph.D. (Lecturer at the Department of Chemical Engineering).

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On Thursday, 24 July 2025, the GEO-PW Webinar Series of IKN Regional Development #6 and Focus Group Discussion with the theme “The Continuation of Nusantara Capital City Development: Strengthening and Limiting Aspects” organised by the Regional Development Study Interest, Master of Geography UGM supported by the Centre for Southeast Asian Social Studies (PSSAT) UGM.

The Head of IKN Authority, Dr. (H.C.) Ir. H. M. Basuki Hadimuljono, M.Sc., Ph.D. delivered a presentation followed by an FGD by the Chief Researcher of Research Collaboration Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T., with a team consisting of Prof. Ir. Dana Indra Sensuse, M.LIS., Ph.D. (UI RKI Partner Researcher), Dr.techn. Wikan Danar Sunindyo, S.T, M.Sc. (Partner Researcher of RKI ITB), Prof. Dr. Galuh Syahbana Indraprahasta (Partner Researcher of BRIN), and Assc. Prof. Dr Khoo Suet Leng (Partner Researcher Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia), Prof. Dr Khin Khin Soe (Partner Researcher Sagaing University of Education, Myanmar).

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On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T., Director of Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), attended a meeting upon the invitation of Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, S.S., M.Hum., DEA., Vice Rector for Education and Learning at UGM. The meeting was held with delegates from the Department of Southeast Asian Languages and Cultures (SEALC) at National Chengchi University (NCCU), Taiwan.

The NCCU delegation consisted of Prof. Dr. Chao Chin-Chi (Acting Dean of the College of Foreign Languages and Literature & Chair of the SEALC), Prof. Dr. Jiang Cuifen (Director of the Chinese Language Teaching Centre), Dr. Silvia Rehulina Ginting (Assistant Professor of the SEALC & Head of Indonesian Language and Cultures Study Program), and Mr. Yuan Ting Lim (Operations Manager of the Center for Southeast Asian Socio-Cultural Studies in the Department of Southeast Asian Languages and Cultures). The meeting was also attended by Dr. Tyas Ikhsan Hikmawan, M.S., Ph.D., Head of the Subdirectorate of International Collaboration.

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A strategic meeting between the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the Department of Southeast Asian Languages and Cultures (SEALC) of National Chengchi University (NCCU), Taiwan, took place on July 21, 2025, at  at the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS), Universitas Gadjah Mada.

CESASS was represented by Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T. (Director), Drs. Muhadi Sugiono, M.A. (Head of Research, Education, and Cooperation Division), Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto (Head of Program and Publication Division), and Dr. Arif Akhyat, M.A. (Affiliated researcher with an expertise on history of Southeast Asian Studies). SEALC NCCU was represented by Prof. Dr. Chao Chin-Chi (Acting Dean of the College of Foreign Languages and Literature & Chair of SEALC), Prof. Dr. Jiang Cuifen (Director of the Chinese Language Teaching Centre), Dr. Silvia Rehulina Ginting (Assistant Professor and Head of the Indonesian Language and Cultures Study Program), and Mr. YuanTing Lim (Operations Manager of the Center for Southeast Asian Socio-Cultural Studies).

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From left to right: Agustinus Aryo Lukisworo, S.Sos., M.A., Dr. Dhyah Ayu Retno W., S.Sos, M.Si., Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto, and Satria Adya Firhansyah, S.I.P.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for journal collaboration between the organizing committee of the Conference on Media, Communication, and Sociology (COMICOS) 2026, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Atma Jaya Yogyakarta University, and IKAT: The Indonesian Journal of Southeast Asian Studies took place on July 18, 2025, at the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS), Universitas Gadjah Mada.

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“Smart City, Digital Transformation, and Society in Southeast Asia Summer Course Program 2025,” organized by Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), officially concluded on Thursday, July 10, 2025. The closing ceremony took place in a hybrid format, held both online via Zoom and on-site at Indonesia Room, 2nd Floor, Pusat Antar Universitas (PAU) Building, UGM.

This closing ceremony marked the end of a 15-day program that welcomed 73 participants from 17 countries, who engaged in lectures, discussions, and fieldwork focusing on the intersection of digital innovation and urban development in Southeast Asia.

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