FISIPOL UGM has once again added to its roster of Professors. Prof. Dr. Dafri Agussalim, M.A., lecturer at the Department of International Relations (DIHI), has been officially inaugurated as a Professor in the field of Human Rights Diplomacy in ASEAN and Global Political Leadership.

This inauguration marks an important milestone, not only for Prof. Dafri personally but also for FISIPOL UGM in strengthening its academic contributions at both the national and international levels. As a scholar who has long been engaged in the study of international relations, democracy, and human rights, Prof. Dafri underscored the importance of human rights diplomacy as an instrument to drive change in the region and to enhance Indonesia’s role in global political leadership. read more

Bevaola Kusumasari, Ph.D., a lecturer from the Department of Management and Public Policy (DMKP), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) UGM, has once again demonstrated her contribution to the international academic arena. She recently published a scholarly article entitled “Local Government Financial Performance and Decentralization in Indonesia.”

This publication examines the financial performance of local governments in the context of decentralization in Indonesia. Drawing on data analysis from 66 cities and in-depth interviews in 4 cities, the study highlights how financial performance measures—such as degrees of decentralization, independence, direct spending, and local revenue growth—are used to evaluate local financial governance. read more

One of the lecturers from the Department of International Relations (DIHI), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) UGM, Suci Lestari Yuana, Ph.D., has once again achieved international academic recognition. Together with her collaborators, she has recently published a scholarly article in the prestigious journal Annual Review of Environment and Resources, titled “Transformative Innovation Policy: An Analytical Review of Key Methods and Challenges.”

The article discusses Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP), a new generation of innovation policy designed to address increasingly complex social and environmental challenges—from energy and food crises to mobility systems that remain entrenched in unsustainable modes of production and consumption. The authors emphasize that merely improving technologies or financial instruments is no longer sufficient. Systemic innovations and transformative policies are needed to enable just transitions, ensuring both social justice and planetary health. read more

Two lecturers from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), Universitas Gadjah Mada, Massageng Widagdhaprasana and Hempri Suyatna, joined as speakers at the online Townhall Muda Yogyakarta forum under the theme “Youth Entrepreneurship Innovation.” On this occasion, both highlighted opportunities, challenges, and innovations in developing a sustainable social entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Director of the Creative Hub (C-Hub) FISIPOL UGM, Massageng Widagdhaprasana, emphasized that FISIPOL’s role through C-Hub is not merely as an incubator but also as a catalyst in building a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem. “We aim to establish a transdisciplinary learning ecosystem that generates new values in social entrepreneurship. Young people must be encouraged to adapt through various cross-sector collaborations,” he explained. read more

The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) at Universitas Gadjah Mada, through the Institute of International Studies (IIS), in collaboration with the University of Essex, United Kingdom, is hosting the Networking Conference on Climate Geopolitics and Sustainable Mining Governance on Wednesday (3/9) at the FISIPOL Dean’s Meeting Room.

The two-day international conference, held on September 3–4, 2025, brings together around 12 academics and practitioners from various countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa. The participants engage in intensive discussions on sustainable mining governance amid the dynamics of global climate geopolitics. read more

New Release: Megashift FISIPOL UGM Article
“Digital Orchestration for Indonesian Agriculture: From WhatsApp Workflow to Food Security”
By: Setiawan Guntoro

Megashift FISIPOL UGM has once again published an article that sparks discussion on the future of agriculture and food security in Indonesia. This piece highlights a simple yet revolutionary idea: how an everyday app like WhatsApp can become the backbone of agricultural digitalization.

The article sheds light on a long-standing issue in agriculture, particularly in broiler farming: the slow flow of field data from farms to management, which often leads to delayed and risky decision-making. Many agritech startups have failed because their applications did not match farmers’ habits. However, WhatsApp—used by 9 out of 10 Indonesians—emerges as an alternative solution. read more

Yogyakarta, September 3, 2025—As countries around the world navigate the challenge of fostering growth and addressing climate change, the governance of the mining sector will have profound implications for environmental sustainability, economic growth, and social justice. Addressing this issue, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), sponsored by the Academy of Medical Sciences, together with the University of Essex, as well as leading universities and institutes in Australia, South Africa, Kenya, and Europe, collaboratively hosted a networking conference titled “Climate Geopolitics and Sustainable Mining Governance” on September 3-4, 2025. read more

New Release: Megashift FISIPOL UGM Article

“Satirical Comedy in the Digital Public Sphere: A Contemporary Form of Political Participation”
By: Ardi Muhammad Rifqi
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Megashift FISIPOL UGM has published a fresh article exploring how satirical comedy on social media has become a creative and powerful form of political participation in today’s digital era. Written by Ardi Muhammad Rifqi, the article dissects how humor, memes, and stand-up comedy content are reshaping political discourse in Indonesia.

The article highlights three main drivers behind the rise of satire: the accessibility of social media platforms, the growing popularity of stand-up comedy, and restrictions on free expression under regulations like the ITE Law. Within this context, satire emerges as a safe yet sharp tool for citizens to voice criticism and hold political actors accountable. read more

Yogyakarta, 29 Agustus 2025─The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL UGM), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yamanashi Eiwa College, Japan, marking a new chapter in their long-standing academic partnership.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Toshiya Tsukamoto, President of Yamanashi Eiwa College, alongside Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, Dean of FISIPOL UGM, as representatives of the two institutions.

Founded in 1889, Yamanashi Eiwa College is a liberal arts institution with a strong tradition of global education, offering programs in psychology, library science, ICT, and global studies. Despite its small size, with around 600 students, the college has an international student body, comprising 13% from Asia, including Indonesia. read more

Yogyakarta, August 28, 2025—The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) welcomed a group of participants from the Training on the Preparation of Strategic Plans (Renstra) for Regional Government Agencies of Bogor Regency. The program, facilitated by the Center for Capacity Development and Cooperation (PPKK) FISIPOL UGM, was designed as a campus tour and took place on Thursday morning (28/8).

The visit began with explorations to several faculties at UGM, including the Faculty of Forestry and the Faculty of Law, before concluding at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL). At FISIPOL UGM, the participants were welcomed by the Executive Secretary of PPKK, Dr. Pradhikna Yunik, followed by a presentation from Dr. Maharani Hapsari titled “Building Regional Competitiveness: Mapping Economic Potential and Innovation Based on Science and Technology.” read more