The program received support from SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) and AAS under the umbrella of the CHSS Program (Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Under-Represented Scholars of Asia). This initiative reflects a strong commitment to advancing education and education for sustainability across the Southeast Asian region, particularly for scholars from developing and under-represented communities.
SHAPE-SEA, which also serves as the SIDA-AAS Hub for Thailand, played a central role in this collaboration. As an organization dedicated to human rights and peace research, SHAPE-SEA’s involvement underscores the importance of education in developing regions as a foundation for regional stability and social progress.
Through this program, SHAPE-SEA sent several young scholars to participate in the writing workshop, namely Casey Anne Cruz, Lailia Dhiah Indriani, Su Pan Htwar, and Jarukit Kanokjaros. These scholars brought with them a diverse range of research topics, primarily focused on peacebuilding issues, which are closely related to conflict resolution and the prevention of conflicts in the region.
In addition to the scholars, SHAPE-SEA also dispatched two companions, Dr. Bidyalaxmi Salam and Muhammad Diaz Kurniawan. Both were actively involved in survey activities related to the Theory of Change as well as various networking discussions aimed at strengthening regional academic cooperation and promoting equality among scholars from different backgrounds.
During the five-day program, participants received intensive mentoring on academic writing, publication strategies, and research methodology. The mentors emphasized that equitable access to education is a fundamental element in achieving equality, especially for scholars who come from conflict-affected or marginalized areas in Southeast Asia.
On this occasion, SHAPE-SEA also shared academic publications resulting from research conducted by their scholars with participants from other parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. This knowledge-sharing session was designed to build bridges between researchers and encourage cross-border collaboration in addressing regional challenges.
The themes explored by the participants highlighted how education in developing countries plays a crucial role in conflict resolution. Several papers discussed how community-based education programs can serve as effective tools for peacebuilding, helping communities recover from conflicts and preventing future violence through dialogue and mutual understanding.
The program also emphasized the importance of education for sustainability, encouraging young scholars to design research that not only contributes to academic knowledge but also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 on Quality Education, SDG 5 on Gender Equality, and SDG 16 on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
Organizers expressed hope that this Capacity Building program would become an annual tradition, strengthening the network of young scholars in Southeast Asia. By investing in education and empowering under-represented scholars, UGM and SHAPE-SEA believe that academia can contribute meaningfully to equality, sustainable development, and lasting conflict resolution throughout the region.
Kontributor: Nada & Jusma, 2026
