Yogyakarta, Friday, October 23, 2026 — Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has successfully concluded a five-day capacity building program in academic writing for young scholars from across Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. Held from October 19 to 23, 2026, on the UGM campus in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the program served as a dedicated space for capacity development for early-career researchers, including participants from post-conflict regions in Indonesia, namely Aceh, Ambon, Poso, and Papua.

The program was supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) through the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) under the CHSS umbrella — Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Under-Represented Scholars of Asia. This initiative is designed to strengthen academic capacity and to broaden #equalopportunities for young researchers originating from under-represented communities, ensuring that scholars from marginalized and post-conflict areas receive the support they need to thrive in international academic spaces.

The presence of participants from Aceh — Raihal Fajri and Rachmad Setiawan — along with Febby Winda Pelupessy and Salmawati Rumada from Ambon, Dwi Preti Natalia Tara’u and Mariano Ombo from Poso, and Marlon Arthur Huwae and Rina Kurana Awom from Papua, was of particular significance. Their involvement enriched the program by expanding research perspectives on peace, reconciliation, human rights, and post-conflict development, bringing lived experiences of #conflictresolution directly into scholarly dialogue.

Through a series of writing workshops and knowledge exchange sessions, the program is expected to encourage the production of academic works that highlight local experiences while strengthening the contribution of Indonesian researchers to regional peace discourse. Participants were mentored in developing research articles, refining their arguments, and situating their local knowledge within broader academic debates on #conflicts and their resolution.

The AAS–CHSS program at UGM is also part of a wider effort to build a more inclusive academic network across regions and countries. By opening space for the experiences of post-conflict communities to contribute to the development of the humanities and social sciences, the initiative directly advances the principles of #educationforsustainability, embedding long-term capacity building within scholarly practice.

Organizers emphasized that #equalaccess to academic training remains a persistent challenge for scholars from post-conflict areas, who often face limited institutional resources, geographic isolation, and the lingering effects of violence. The program was therefore designed to remove these barriers, offering fully supported participation and tailored mentorship to ensure that no scholar is left behind.

Beyond individual skill development, the gathering fostered solidarity among participants from diverse backgrounds, creating a community of young scholars committed to #equality in knowledge production. Organizers noted that genuine equality in academia requires not only representation but also the active redistribution of opportunities and resources toward those historically excluded from mainstream academic networks.

The program also underscored the link between academic freedom and sustainable peace. By equipping young scholars with the tools to document, analyze, and communicate the realities of their communities, the initiative contributes to the broader goals of #educationforsustainability, fostering research that informs policy, reconciliation efforts, and long-term social development in post-conflict societies.

Participants expressed that the exchange of knowledge across national and regional boundaries had deepened their understanding of shared challenges and diverse approaches to peacebuilding. The cross-regional dialogue allowed scholars from Aceh, Ambon, Poso, and Papua to connect their local experiences with those of peers from other Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific countries, reinforcing a collective commitment to #conflictresolution grounded in evidence and empathy.

Looking ahead, UGM and its partners plan to sustain the momentum through continued mentorship, publication support, and alumni networking. The university reaffirmed its commitment to advancing #equalopportunities and #equalaccess in higher education, positioning the AAS–CHSS program as a model for how academic institutions can meaningfully support under-represented scholars and contribute to peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable societies.

Yogyakarta, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia — Friday, 23 October 2026 — Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with SHAPE-SEA (Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in ASEAN) from Mahidol University, Thailand, successfully held a Capacity Building program from 19–23 October 2026. The program focused on enhancing academic writing skills for young scholars from five countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, and Papua New Guinea.

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.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Tuesday, 20 October 2026

Young researchers from various countries across Southeast Asia and the Pacific region participated in the UGM-CHSS Writing Workshop held at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta. The participants came from Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. This activity is part of a capacity building effort for young academics researching issues of conflict and peace.

The UGM-CHSS Writing Workshop is an initiative under the umbrella of the CHSS (Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Under-Represented Scholars of Asia) Project, funded by SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) and mandated by the AAS (Association for Asian Studies) to Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The Hub Lead from Universitas Gadjah Mada is Professor Wening Udasmoro, Professor of Gender and Literature at UGM, who will lead this SIDA-AAS project. The project will run for three years, from 2026 to 2028, with the hope of fostering a more inclusive and representative generation of researchers.

The main issue that becomes the focus of this UGM-CHSS Academic Writing Workshop is peace. Participants selected from abroad come from Southeast Asian countries and Papua New Guinea. They are young researchers and junior lecturers who study conflict and peace issues or who come from post-conflict regions.

The central theme of this first workshop batch in 2026 is “Self Narration: Centralizing the Periphery”. This theme was deliberately chosen as a shared awareness of giving voice to those who are often marginalized in both local and global narrative discourses. Through this theme, participants are encouraged to bring peripheral voices to the center of academic conversations.

The workshop also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the aspects of education and education for sustainability. By providing academic writing training to young researchers, this program contributes to creating quality, sustainable education for academics across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Furthermore, the workshop promotes equal access to academic development opportunities. Researchers from developing countries or under-represented regions often face barriers in accessing training, international publication, and global academic networks. This initiative seeks to bridge that gap, ensuring that talented scholars regardless of their geographic or institutional background can thrive.

Empowerment of young researchers lies at the heart of this program. Participants are equipped not only with academic writing skills but also with the confidence to voice their research on the international stage. Junior lecturers from post-conflict regions, in particular, are given space to fully develop their academic potential.

The outputs of the UGM-CHSS Writing Workshop are articles that will be published in both international and national journals according to the participants’ needs. These publications are expected to enrich the body of knowledge in humanities and social sciences on peace issues from the perspectives of researchers in the Asian region.

More than just a writing arena, this forum is expected to create networking spaces between countries. The cross-border collaborations established through this workshop are hoped to grow into long-term research partnerships, strengthen regional academic solidarity, and ensure that the voices of young researchers from Southeast Asia and the Pacific are increasingly heard in global conversations on peace and humanity.