Yogyakarta, August 10, 2026 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) welcomed Prof. Ekmel Geçer from Marmara University, Turkiye. Prior to his visit to CESASS, he had delivered a lecture at the Faculty of Psychology UGM, where he engaged with students and academics on matters of shared academic and regional interest.

Reflecting on his first visit to Indonesia, Prof. Geçer expressed his appreciation for the country’s remarkable potential. He noted that, as the world’s largest archipelagic nation, endowed with abundant natural resources and a member of the G20, Indonesia possesses significant strategic, economic, and human potential. read more

Yogyakarta, August 10, 2026 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), welcomed Prof. Edo Han Siu Andriesse from the Department of Geography, College of Social Sciences, Seoul National University (SNU), for an initial meeting to explore opportunities for academic and research collaboration between the East Asian Centre, Seoul National University, and CESASS UGM.

The meeting provided an opportunity for CESASS to introduce its academic and research activities, as well as its ongoing efforts to foster interdisciplinary research and strengthen academic networks across Asia. Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto, Head of the Program and Publication Division at CESASS, highlighted the Centre’s commitment to advancing collaborative research and facilitating academic exchange, particularly in areas related to Southeast Asian studies. read more

Yogyakarta, August 6, 2026 — What drives Vietnam’s rapid economic transformation and enduring stability? This core question defined CESASS Talk #54, themed “Vietnam Outlook: Past, Present, and Future Trend,” featuring Dr. Nguyen Hoang Phuong of Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, and moderated by Dr. Muhammad Rum.

Strategic Leadership and Institutional Reform

During the session, Dr. Phuong highlighted that Vietnam’s development is grounded in the decisive leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and its capacity for consistent, long-term policy execution. Under the CPV’s strategic vision, the Đổi Mới policy successfully established a Socialist-oriented market economy, combining political stability with dynamic economic modernization. read more

Yogyakarta, June 29, 2026 — As part of the Short Course “ASEAN and the South China Sea”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Hazmi Mohd Rusli from the Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), delivered a lecture exploring the historical evolution of the law of the sea and its continuing relevance to contemporary maritime disputes. The lecture traced the development of maritime governance from the competing concepts of mare liberum and mare clausum to the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the modern constitution for the oceans. It also examined the principle of uti possidetis juris, demonstrating how colonial boundaries, historical treaties, and imperial administration continue to shape maritime sovereignty, jurisdiction, and boundary delimitation in Southeast Asia. read more

Yogyakarta, June 22, 2026 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), officially opened its South China Sea Short Course, bringing together 164 participants from 26 countries and diverse disciplinary backgrounds. In collaboration with the Department of Geodetic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UGM, the Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, UGM, ASEAN Studies Center UGM, and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), the program aims to deepen understanding of one of Southeast Asia’s most significant regional challenges through multidisciplinary perspectives, including maritime governance, regional security, international law, environmental sustainability, and diplomacy. read more

Yogyakarta, May 12, 2026 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) hosted Prof. Bernhard Grimm from Humboldt University, Germany, during his visit as a visiting professor at UGM. In a discussion hosted by Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto and Prof. Dr. drh. Wayan Tunas Artama from the Biotechnology Research Center, Prof. Grimm shared his insights on the rapidly evolving energy landscape in Southeast Asia amid growing concerns over climate change, global energy insecurity, and geopolitical tensions. read more

Yogyakarta, May 4, 2026 — Lermie Shayne Garcia, Ph.D. (Dr. Shayne), a visiting scholar supported by the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies (commonly referred to as the Leong Institute Fellowship), advanced academic exchange and research collaboration during a recent series of engagements in Indonesia.

As part of the fellowship-supported program, she delivered a lecture at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on May 4, 2026, hosted by the Department of History (Departemen Sejarah) entitled “Mapping Southeast Asian Studies in the Philippines: Local Perspectives and Regional Collaboration”. The visit included academic discussions with Prof. Dr. Abdul Wahid, Chair of the Department, Dr. Wildan Sena Utama, and other faculty members. read more

Yogyakarta, April 7-8, 2025 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) successfully held an Academic Writing Workshop titled “From Scratch to Publication: Meeting the Standards of Scopus-Indexed Journals.” The workshop was attended by participants from various universities, including Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, London School of Economics and Political Science, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana Yogyakarta, Universitas Hasanuddin, and many more, as well as from diverse academic disciplines, such as Law, Forestry, Arts, and Engineering. read more

Yogyakarta, April 7, 2026 — Dr. Priyambudi Sulistiyanto spent three weeks at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) as a Visiting Scholar at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), from March 30 to April 21, 2026.

Commonly known as Dr. Budi, he is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Flinders University and a political anthropologist whose research focuses on Indonesian politics and comparative politics in Southeast Asia. His recent book, Melawat ke Asia (2025), reflects his ongoing engagement with the region’s evolving socio-political landscape. read more

Yogyakarta, March 31, 2026 — Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) convened a public hearing on the draft Rector’s Regulation on Research Centers, bringing together representatives from 21 study centers across the university to gather input on the proposed policy.

Among the participants, the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) stood out with the strong support of its international partner, Jianbang Deng from Tamkang University, Taiwan. His presence highlighted not only a long-standing collaboration—dating back to his role as a visiting professor in 2019—but also the continued and active engagement between CESASS and its global academic network. This sustained partnership underscores CESASS’s growing international reach and reinforces the importance of cross-border collaboration in shaping research development at UGM. read more