Yogyakarta, November 4–5, 2025 — As a multidisciplinary research center, the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) offers interns in the CESASS Internship Program diverse learning experiences. In addition to participating in CESASS’s internal activities, interns are encouraged to take part in various external engagements, such as public lectures, seminars, academic fairs, training, cultural events, exhibitions, and conferences.
This time, one of the international interns from the Vrije Universiteit, Netherlands, Hüdanur Yildirim, had the opportunity to participate in the 13th International Graduate Students and Scholars’ Conference in Indonesia (IGSSCI) with the theme “Navigating the Future: Strengthening Resilience Through Global Collaboration Towards World Peace”, hosted by the Graduate School UGM and held on 4–5 November 2025.
Hüda joined a panel on “Navigating the Future through Higher Education”, chaired by Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto, one of the CESASS’s researchers.
Distinguished speakers are Prof. Dr. Talip Küçükcan, Ambassador of Turkey to the Republic of Indonesia and former professor of sociology at Marmara University, Istanbul; Prof. Jian-bang Deng, Ph.D. from the Graduate Institute of Futures Studies, Tamkang University, Taiwan, and former visiting professor at CESASS in 2019; and Prof. Dr. Puji Astuti, S.Si., M.Sc., Apt., the Director of Partnerships and Global Relations at UGM.
During the conference, Hüda also had the privilege of meeting with the Ambassador of Türkiye to Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Talip Küçükcan. As someone with Turkish roots, the conversation allowed her to reconnect with her cultural background in an academic setting.
For her, the conference was not only an academic platform but also a clear reminder of why cross-cultural learning and international dialogue matter. The experience strengthened her belief that collective effort and shared knowledge are vital in navigating today’s complex global issues with purpose and hope.
Reporter: CESASS team
Editor: Mellyana Nungki Pramitha