Yogyakarta, July 8, 2025—The Master’s Program in Social Development and Welfare (PSDK) of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) UGM successfully held the 5th Graduate Symposium on Social Development and Welfare 2025 from July 7 to 8, 2025. With the theme “Quo Vadis Contemporary Development,” the event provided a platform for cross-perspective academic discussions to address the challenges and direction of sustainable development in Indonesia.
The first day of the symposium opened with a keynote speaker session titled “Frugal Innovation: A New Strategy for CSR Program Planning,” featuring Adi Rahmadi (Officer II CSR at PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Tbk.) and moderated by Galih Prabaningrum, S.Sos., M.A. (PSdK Lecturer). The discussion highlighted the concept of Frugal Innovation as an efficient approach to designing CSR programs based on optimizing company resources. Participants were invited to understand the definition of Frugal Innovation, its implementation, the benefits it offers companies and communities, and its practical applications at Pertamina Geothermal. The session also highlighted criticisms of CSR practices in Indonesia and the relevance of this new approach.
On the same day, Keynote Speaker Session 2, on “Multidimensional Poverty: An Approach to Poverty Alleviation,” was presented by Dr. Asep Suryahadi (Senior Research Fellow, The SMERU Research Institute) and moderated by Dr. Hempri Suyatna, S.Sos., M.Si. The discussion addressed the concept of multidimensional poverty, challenges to its reduction, critiques of existing policies, and sustainable strategies for addressing it in Indonesia.
This was followed by a panel session featuring presentations of thesis proposals by PSdK master’s students.
The second day of the Master’s Symposium continued with a panel session by PSdK master’s students.
The Master’s Symposium concluded with a Keynote Speaker session entitled “The Middle Income Trap and Social Inequality: What Policies Are Appropriate?” Presenting Roby Rushandie (Research and Knowledge Manager, The PRAKARSA), moderated by Dian Fatmawati, S.IP., M.A. (Lecturer in Social and Political Sciences). This session explored the situation of the middle class in Indonesia, the concept of the middle-income trap, the challenges it poses, and how social protection policies can support sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Through this “Quo Vadis Contemporary Development” Symposium, the Social and Political Sciences Master’s Program in Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL) hopes to continue to be a space for constructive and relevant academic dialogue in responding to contemporary development issues.