Yogyakarta, July 20, 2026—The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can no longer be perceived merely as a technological marvel; rather, it constitutes a complex instrument with the potential to perpetuate domination and structural inequalities. This discourse emerged during the critical deliberations of The 6th Australia-Indonesia in Conversation (AIC) 2026. The inaugural panel, entitled “Governing Intelligence: Ethics, Power, and the Politics of Knowing,” featured Prof. Robert Hassan and Dr. Silvia Montaña-Niño from the University of Melbourne, alongside Prof. Ridi Ferdiana and Pratiwi Utami, Ph.D. from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Moderated by Dr. Indah Surya Wardhani, the session convened at the 4th Floor Auditorium of FISIPOL UGM on Monday (July 20).
SDGs 9: Innovation and Infrastructure
Yogyakarta, June 27, 2026─In order to meet the need for childcare support for the academic community, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) established and manages the Family Wellness facility, an integrated daycare service located within the campus environment, precisely on the 1st Floor of the BH Building, FISIPOL UGM.
This facility serves as a concrete solution for lecturers and educational staff who have children. Through Family Wellness, Fisipol UGM is taking tangible steps to institutionalize support for work and personal life balance.
Yogyakarta, May 3, 2026—The 2026 Universitas Gadjah Mada Student Creative Talent Event (Ajisaka) kicked off its series of events with a communication discussion titled “Journalism and Filmmaking” at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) UGM on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. This discussion highlighted the role of alternative media as a tool for advocacy and voicing the public interest, especially amidst the turmoil in traditional mass media.
Featuring two speakers—director and UGM Communication Sciences alumnus Luhki Herwanayogi, and freelance writer and journalist Titah AW—the event not only discussed career opportunities in journalism and filmmaking but also emphasized the importance of leveraging new forms of media to make one’s voice heard.
Yogyakarta, May 7, 2026 – The Center for Digital Society (CfDS), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) Universitas Gadjah Mada, once again held CfDS Response, carrying the theme “The Enactment of PP TUNAS: Interpreting Equality in Child Protection on Digital Platforms.” This event was held online on Thursday (7/5).
CfDS Researcher and event host, Semeion Bintang Ridho Aunillah, opened the discussion session by highlighting the crucial urgency behind the emergence of this policy, which restricts social media use for children. “The use of digital technology by children is like a double-edged sword. On one hand, digital platforms offer a space for children to learn, express themselves, and develop. But on the other hand, there are numerous negative impacts that arise when children use digital media, such as exposure to harmful content, privacy data exploitation, and, most severely, digital violence against children,” Semeion stated.
Yogyakarta, May 7, 2026─Ernani Dewi Kusumawati, a doctoral student in International Relations at FISIPOL UGM, has achieved a new milestone on the global stage. Joining the Department of International Relations in 2024 as a doctoral student with a concentration in Digital Transformation and Competitiveness (DTC) led her to become Indonesia’s one and only delegate at the Raisina IE-Global Student Challenge 2026, held in New Delhi, India, in March 2026.
This competition is part of the Raisina Dialogue international forum, a strategic gathering that brings together world leaders, government officials, academics, and practitioners to analyze geopolitical and geoeconomic issues. Ernani shared that she initially had doubts because her undergraduate background was in pharmacy. Nevertheless, those doubts transformed into a strong motivation as she delved into the essence of the event. She views an interdisciplinary approach as the key.
Yogyakarta, April 18, 2026─The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) continues to innovate in supporting a collaborative learning ecosystem for its students. One tangible manifestation of this commitment is the optimization of the Digital Library (Digilib) facilities through an online Room Reservation service. Now, academic members can conveniently book discussion rooms or quiet, representative co-working spaces directly through the official website at https://digilib.fisipol.ugm.ac.id/.
Yogyakarta, April 17 2026 – Field research often presents the greatest challenges and the most valuable experiences for social scientists. To equip and inspire its researchers, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) organized a strategic academic agenda as part of its visiting scholar program. On Friday, April 17, the faculty held a methodology workshop titled “Doing Field Research in Southeast Asia” in the Dean’s Meeting Room.
This event, aimed at faculty members and doctoral students, featured Dr. Priyambudi Sulistiyanto, an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Flinders University, Australia. While the previous session focused on comparative study approaches, this workshop specifically delved into the practical aspects, methodological tactics, and the art of survival during field research. The activity was designed to ignite the spirit of young researchers on campus, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones and directly uncover the realities of the regional landscape.
Yogyakarta, April 10, 2026 – The employment landscape in the digital era is now facing new complexities, alongside the increasingly massive intervention of artificial intelligence across various job-providing platforms. Responding to this phenomenon, a lecturer from the Department of International Relations at FISIPOL UGM, Suci Lestari Yuana, held a participatory research training entitled “The Impact of AI on Gig Workers in Indonesia”. This innovative research is part of the UGM EQUITY grant program funded directly by the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) and simultaneously serves as a continuation of Yuana’s previous research highlighting the issue of AI Colonialism entitled “The Plight of Female Gig Workers in Indonesia”.
Yogyakarta, 19 September 2025 — As part of the 70th Anniversary (Dies Natalis) series, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), Universitas Gadjah Mada, officially announced the winners of the FISIPOL Undergraduate Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2025, along with the Best Undergraduate Thesis Awards from each department.
🏆 Best Undergraduate Thesis Awards by Department:
- Belinda Zabrina Lailani – Department of International Relations (confirmation pending)
- Tasya Melyana Kusuma Dewi – Department of Communication Science (confirmation pending)
- Ratna Kusumawati – Department of Public Policy and Management (confirmation pending)
- Salsabila Laily Maulina – Department of Social Development and Welfare (attendance confirmed)
- Ghea Anissah Trinanda – Department of Politics and Government (not attending offline)
- Meliana Sari – Department of Sociology (attendance confirmed)
🏅 3MT Competition Winner:
• Salsabila Laily Maulina (Department of Social Development and Welfare)
🎖️ People’s Choice Award:
• Salsabila Laily Maulina (Department of Social Development and Welfare)
Yogyakarta, March 30, 2026—The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL UGM), through the Center for Digital Society (CfDS), in collaboration with the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), held the 23rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights (ASEMHRS23): Capacity-Building Training entitled “Future-Proofing AI: Building Human-in-the-Loop Governance Skills for Rights-Respecting AI.”
This event is an international forum bringing together participants from various countries in Asia and Europe, including representatives of governments, civil society, academics, and human rights institutions. Held over three days, from March 30 to April 1, 2026, in Yogyakarta, this program focused on strengthening capacity to understand and respond to the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on human rights, while also encouraging cross-sector and cross-regional collaboration.