Yogyakarta, 21 May 2025–The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM continues to strengthen international cooperation through a strategic meeting with a delegation from Gaziantep University, Turkey. In a warm atmosphere and with a collaborative spirit, the deans of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, UGM, and the Faculty of Agriculture, UGM, hosted a dinner with delegates from Gaziantep University at Sasanti Restaurant in Yogyakarta.
This meeting served as a forum to discuss the continuation of academic cooperation between the two institutions, which had previously been established through the Erasmus+ program. One of the potential topics discussed in depth was the plan for collaborative research and project development related to co-operatives in a comparative perspective between Indonesia and Turkey. The Dean of FISIPOL, Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, and the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Jaka Widada, highlighted the importance of strengthening the people’s economy through the cooperative model as an inclusive and sustainable development strategy in both countries.
Additionally, the issue of refugees became one of the main concerns in the discussion. Given the geographical position of Gaziantep, which is close to the Syrian border and has become a shelter for many Syrian refugees, this topic is very relevant to be explored scientifically and comparatively with the issue of Rohingya refugees in Aceh, Indonesia. This perspective opens up multidisciplinary research opportunities that combine policy studies, human rights, and regional social dynamics.
As a continuation of this cooperation, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at UGM will send two representatives, Prof. Poppy Sulistyaning Winanti and Dr. Nurhadi Susanto, to participate in a teaching mobility program at Gaziantep University in June.
Through this informal forum, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of UGM and Gaziantep University strengthened their commitment to jointly address global challenges through mutually reinforcing higher education cooperation.
This activity is also in line with Fisipol’s commitment to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), among others:
– SDG 4 – Quality Education, through faculty exchange and strengthening global academic networks.
– SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, through the development of research on cooperatives as the motor of the community economy.
– SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, by exploring refugee issues and the rights of vulnerable groups.
– SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, through cross-country collaboration in education and research.