Yogyakarta, November 10, 2025 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) held a meeting for the handover of financial and activity reports. The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T., former Director of CESASS, and Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, S.IP., M.P.A., Ph.D., who is currently serving as the Ad Interim Director of CESASS, along with the CESASS staff.

Beyond the handover process, the meeting also served as an opportunity for Dr. Wawan and the CESASS staff to engage in introductory discussions and exchange insights regarding the center’s ongoing activities and direction. read more

Yogyakarta, October 23, 2025 — The Academic Writing Workshop “Techniques and Ethics: Expanding Publication Opportunities in Scopus Indexing Journal” at the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) continued into its second day. The session began with Dr. Dicky Sofyan from the Graduate School of UGM, who led an engaging and insightful discussion titled “Reality in Empirical Research.” With both in-person and online participants, the session was highly interactive and emphasized the importance of perspective in shaping how we understand the world. Dr. Dicky illustrated this using the well-known selective attention video exercise, where participants focused on counting the number of passes made by players and subsequently missed the unexpected appearance of a person in a gorilla suit. This activity highlighted how our attention can limit what we perceive, reminding researchers that what we observe is only a portion of the broader reality. read more

Yogyakarta, October 15, 2025 — “How can we avoid unclear research objectives?”

This was the thought-provoking question posed by Dr. Indri Dwi Apriliyanti as she helped participants sharpen their ability to craft clear and focused research questions.

Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) successfully held a workshop on Academic Writing titled “Techniques and Ethics: Expanding Publication Opportunities in Scopus Indexing Journal,” bringing together participants from diverse academic backgrounds, such as Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Universitas Brawijaya, Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Sanata Dharma, UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya, and Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, to strengthen their research and writing skills. read more

Yogyakarta, August 21, 2025 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) took part in the Acicis NGO Fair 2025 at the front area of the Margono Building (Greenland), Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. Organized by the Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies (Acicis) and supported by the Australian Government, the annual fair brought together leading organizations across Yogyakarta to introduce internship and volunteer opportunities to local and international students. read more

Yogyakarta, July 24, 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” was organised by the Regional Development Study Interest, Master of Geography UGM, supported by the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS 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). read more

Yogyakarta, July 22, 2025 — Prof. Dr. Rini Rachmawati, S.Si., M.T., Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS 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. read more

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

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). read more

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.

Yogyakarta, July 18, 2025 — 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 at the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM). read more

Yogyakarta, July 10, 2025 — Smart City, Digital Transformation, and Society in Southeast Asia Summer Course Program 2025, organized by the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM), was officially concluded. 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. read more

Yogyakarta, July 5, 2025 — As part of the Smart City, Digital Transformation, and Society in Southeast Asia Summer Course Program 2025, the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) organized an on-site session featuring Assoc. Prof. TPr Dr. Khoo Suet Leng from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.

Held at the Indonesia Room, Prof. Khoo delivered a session titled “Creative City”, in which she critically discussed how cities in Southeast Asia have the potential to develop into creative cities, particularly by leveraging technological advancements. She highlighted how creativity and innovation can play a pivotal role in fostering sustainable urban environments. read more