Yogyakarta, August 7, 2025 — The series of events for PIONIR Society FISIPOL UGM 2025 officially concluded with the Consolidation, Action Simulation, and Inauguration. Quoting Tan Malaka, “Idealism is the final luxury possessed by the youth,” this very spirit was instilled through open forums and public orations.

New students were invited to discuss two critical issues in Indonesia’s socio-political landscape: the commercialization of education in state universities and freedom of expression. They were not only encouraged to voice their opinions but also to understand that oration is not merely about speaking loudly—it serves as a medium to deliver sharp, argumentative, and substantive criticism. read more

The third edition of IIS UGM’s Monthly Review is here, bringing you fresh insights and the latest knowledge!

Featured articles in this issue include:
• When Vietnam’s Lotus Blooms in BRICS Water (Christopher Paller Gerale, Universitas Negeri Malang)
• The Structural Crisis Behind Bangladesh’s 2024 Student Protest (Allene Florence Fadhilah Darmawan, Department of International Relations UGM, 2023)
• The Making of Macan Asia in A Shifting Western Geopolitical Landscape (Aminah Rafa, Department of International Relations UGM)
• Indonesia’s Dilemma Between Nickel Extraction and Biosphere Preservation (Paramasatya Rakha Abiyoga, Department of International Relations UGM) read more

Yogyakarta, August 6, 2025 — The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK)’s policy of freezing “idle” bank accounts has stirred controversy among the public. Tens of millions of accounts that have shown no activity in the past three months have been categorized as dormant or inactive. The freeze, according to PPATK, aims to prevent criminal misuse of inactive accounts for illegal activities such as money laundering and account trading.

Professor Dr. Wahyudi Kumorotomo, a lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), Universitas Gadjah Mada, described PPATK’s decision as a form of “brute-force” policy — a trial-and-error approach that fails to account for many important aspects. He noted that this is not the first time the government has issued underdeveloped policies. “Time and again, the people have witnessed that policies issued by the current administration are lacking in professionalism, and if such actions are allowed to recur, they risk further eroding the President’s legitimacy,” he stated. read more

Yogyakarta, 24 July 2025 — The tragic death of Arya Daru Pangayunan (39), a young diplomat of Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose body was found at a boarding house in Menteng, Central Jakarta, has drawn wide public attention. This heartbreaking incident also sparked concern among academics, including Prof. Dr. Dafri Agussalim, a Professor of International Relations at Universitas Gadjah Mada.

According to Prof. Dafri, the death of an active diplomat is not merely a personal loss, but a moment for national reflection—particularly on how the state protects its diplomats. In an interview, he stressed the importance of this case being a wake-up call for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state institutions. He believes that employee protection should not only cover physical health but also psychological safety and economic well-being. read more

Yogyakarta, July 5, 2025—To continuously improve the quality of childcare and family support services, a team of Family Wellness (FW) educators conducted an educational visit to KB/TK Al Biruni Aria Graha, Bandung, on Saturday (July 5). This activity involved nine Family Wellness educators and aimed to conduct benchmarking, identify best practices, and build professional networks with managers of early childhood education institutions.

Through this activity, Family Wellness (FW) sought to compare the services, facilities, and operational management implemented by other daycares to gain references for developing internal systems that are more adaptive to user needs. This benchmarking process also provided an opportunity to review innovations in curriculum, parenting approaches, and the use of technology that support holistic child development. read more

Yogyakarta, June 4th 2025 – Indonesia with its natural wealth has biological resource potential that has not been fully maximized. As an archipelago, the marine sector has long been one of the export commodities that support the country’s economy. However, on the other hand, the level of fish consumption and the welfare of fishermen have not been evenly distributed. The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol) of Universitas Gadjah Mada presented the discussion “Blue Food as Climate Session: Sustaining Blue Food Ecosystem, Community Empowerment, and Climate Solution” on Wednesday (4/6). read more

Getas, May 24th 2025─The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with the Directorate of Community Service UGM and Pertamina Foundation, successfully held a Socialization of Reproductive Health and Stunting in Getas Village on Saturday (24/5). In addition to being a collaborative activity of the three parties, this activity also directly involved the Getas Village Posyandu Cadres. This activity was held with the aim of providing insight and basic knowledge to adolescents, pregnant women and Posyandu cadres regarding the importance of reproductive health and stunting prevention. read more

Yogyakarta, May 23th 2025─The Socio-Economic Empowerment Program for Village Communities Around Special Purpose Forest Areas (KHDTK) through a circular economy approach was officially closed in a ceremony at Pitu Village Hall, Getas District, Ngawi Regency, on Friday (23/5). The program, which ran from January to May 2025, is the result of collaboration between Pertamina Foundation, FISIPOL UGM, and Universitas Gadjah Mada.

During the five months of implementation, this program has provided skills training, local business assistance, household waste management into value-added products, and the formation of community business groups based on local potential and sustainability principles. read more

Blora, May 23, 2025—UGM’s Faculty of Social and Political Science (Fisipol) has successfully organized a closing  ceremonial event for the socio–economic empowerment program for village communities around forest areas with special-purpose (KHDTK). It is done through the lens of circular economy at the second location, Mendenrenjo Village, Blora Regency on Friday (23/5). This event also marks the official end of the program that has been ongoing for five months since January 2025. 

Arie Sujito, as Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni of UGM, attended the ceremony and mentioned that,”The activities carried out all this time are aimed at increasing the quality of life of communities together. It is hoped that this cooperation between villages and groups is important in reducing the rate of poverty by empowering communities.” read more

Jakarta, 19 May 2025–Alumni Family of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada (Keluarga Alumni Fisipol UGM/ Kafisipolgama) held Halal bi Halal as well as Kafisipolgama National Conference (Musyawarah Nasional/ Munas) on Sunday (5/18). The event was held at TVRI Senayan, Jakarta, and invited various parties, ranging from Fisipol alumni across different departments, professions, and generations, to the dean of Fisipol. 

Ian Agisti, as the head of the committee, stated that this event combined two main agendas. Halal bi Halal, Kafisipolgama’s annual event that provides a space for people to meet and talk with each other, was combined with the National Conference, which discussed the change in management. “Halal bi Halal is indeed used as a place to meet alumni, while the National Conference aims to process the regeneration of the organization,” she said. read more