Yogyakarta, August 23, 2025—The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), a Jakarta-based international think tank, held an international workshop titled “Asian Regional Approaches Towards Digital Trade Governance” on Saturday (August 23).

The workshop brought together researchers, academics, and practitioners from eight countries: Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The event was held in a hybrid format at the BB Building, FISIPOL 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

FISIPOL UGM lecturers Ratna Noviani, Heru Nugroho, and Elok Santi Jesica have published their latest research article titled “Grab It Fast! Entrepreneurial Self and Hyper-Consumerism in the Students’ Prosumption of Online Lending Services in Indonesia” in the July–September 2025 edition of the international journal SAGE Open.

The article examines the practice of prosumption — the simultaneous production and consumption of services — in online lending among Indonesian university students, with a specific focus on the Cicil platform. Within the framework of the sharing economy and prosumerism, this platform not only offers educational loans but also encourages students to act as both “digital workers” and active consumers. read more

Yogyakarta, 25 July 2025 — To strengthen ties between academia and the media, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) at Universitas Gadjah Mada hosted its first Media Gathering titled “Sapa FISIPOL (Silaturahmi dan Pemberitaan Aktual FISIPOL)” on Friday (25/7). This event served as a platform for dialogue and collaboration between the faculty and media outlets, recognizing the media as strategic partners in addressing societal issues.

At this inaugural gathering, FISIPOL introduced two of its active research centers that focus on digital and social issues in Indonesia: the Center for Digital Society (CfDS) and the Center for Capacity Development and Cooperation (PPKK). read more

Labuan Bajo, July 26, 2025—In a significant initiative aimed at improving sustainable tourism, the Master of Public Administration (MAP) program at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) conducted field research in Labuan Bajo, a super-priority tourism destination in Indonesia. The research took place from July 21 to 25, 2025, and was a collaborative effort with the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Widya Mandira Catholic University, Kupang. This collaboration was funded through the BIMA scheme of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. 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 16, 2025─The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), through the Academic Innovation Unit (UIA), is launching a free online class titled “Sustainable Transformation Towards Global Multifaceted Issues” on the FISIPOL Online Campus (FOCUS) website. This class is a product of a collaboration between FISIPOL UGM and Gaziantep University, and is supported by the Erasmus+ Project 2025.

Using English as the course language, this class aims to foster critical understanding in formulating inclusive and sustainable development strategies. addresses three main themes: industrial transformation in global production networks, sustainable food systems amidst multiple crises, and the green transition in Europe and its global implications. Participants will learn how global changes such as industrialization, climate and food crises, and environmental policies are reshaping urban spaces, local food security, and socio-economic policy directions. With case studies from Europe, Turkey, and Southeast Asia, the course fosters a critical understanding across diverse contexts and promotes academic collaboration in developing inclusive and sustainable development strategies. read more

Yogyakarta, July 15, 2025—The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) is rich with diverse innovation units operating in various fields, from academic to social. The Creative Hub, or C-Hub, under the faculty’s auspices, is no exception. It brings together various disciplines to elaborate and hone creative ideas that can improve the quality of life.

Using a transdisciplinary approach, C-Hub serves as a dialogue space for young people to create opportunities from the challenges and problems facing society today. These opportunities are developed with a proven spirit of social entrepreneurship (sociopreneurship), which has proven to have social and economic impacts. read more

Are you passionate about writing and interested in issues related to digital transformation? We invite you to contribute your ideas and submit your articles to be published on the Megashift FISIPOL UGM website! ☺️

Important Notes:

Detailed submission guidelines and suggested subtopics are clearly outlined in the official poster.

This call for articles is open year-round, with no submission deadline.

Articles should be no longer than 1,000 words, including references.

Submissions must include citations from publications, journals, or books written by FISIPOL UGM lecturers or researchers. read more

A lecturer from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), Universitas Gadjah Mada, has contributed to the academic discourse on human rights with the launch of a new publication titled the Routledge Handbook of Human Rights in Southeast Asia. The book was officially launched at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and is co-edited by Prof. Amalinda Savirani, a lecturer from the Department of Politics and Government at FISIPOL UGM, alongside Dr. Ken M.P. Setiawan, Senior Lecturer in Indonesian Studies at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. read more