Lahore, Pakistan — Friday, 9 October 2026 The participation of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) as the leader of the Indonesia Hub in the project Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Under-Represented Scholars of Asia (CHSS) 2026 continued through the engagement of UGM academics in the international forum of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) held on 25–27 September 2026. This involvement underscores UGM’s ongoing commitment to advancing equality in global academic exchange by ensuring that scholars from Southeast Asia have a meaningful voice in international scholarly conversations.

The AAS is an academic organisation that supports the development of Asian studies and brings together academics, researchers, and educators from various disciplines. The event was also attended by the President of the Association for Asian Studies, Elora Shehabuddin, along with AAS leaders including Krisna Uk, Hilary Finchum-Sung, and Brandon Johnson. Their presence reflected the significance of the forum as a platform for fostering cross-regional dialogue and strengthening the foundation for education for sustainability across Asia.

During the forum, Prof. Wening Udasmoro participated as a discussant in the book launch session of Archipelagic Cinemas: Screening Southeast Asian Modernity, authored by Dag S. Yngvesson, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Arts, University of Nottingham Malaysia. Yngvesson is an academic and filmmaker whose research focuses on Southeast Asian cinema, media, and issues of history and cultural representation. His work exemplifies how scholarly inquiry can serve as a vehicle for empowerment, giving communities the tools to narrate their own histories and cultural identities.

The session, entitled “Archipelagic Cinemas: Screening Southeast Asian Modernity,” was held in a Roundtable & Book Launch format from 15:00 to 16:30 at the Auditorium A-13/MCB. It involved Dr. Furrukh Khan and Tajwar Awan from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), as well as an academic from Cambodia. The diversity of participants demonstrated a shared commitment to equality in knowledge production, ensuring that perspectives from across Southeast and South Asia are represented in global academic discourse.

The discussion focused on the development of cinema in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, and its relationship to modernity and the socio-cultural dynamics of Southeast Asia. These conversations highlighted how film serves as a vital medium for preserving and transmitting cultural heritage, allowing societies to document their histories, traditions, and evolving identities through visual storytelling.

Prof. Wening Udasmoro’s involvement in the forum expanded UGM’s contributions to cross-national scholarly dialogue, particularly in the development of humanities and social sciences studies. Her participation reflects a broader effort to promote education for sustainability by integrating cultural and historical perspectives into academic curricula and research agendas that address the long-term challenges facing the region.

This participation aligns with the objectives of the CHSS 2026 project to strengthen international academic networks and broaden the engagement of Asian scholars in global knowledge exchange. By facilitating such collaborations, the project actively advances empowerment among underrepresented scholars, providing them with platforms to share their research and contribute to international debates on culture, media, and society.

Through these collaborations, UGM also encourages the exchange of perspectives on Southeast Asian cinema, history, and culture while reinforcing the contribution of Indonesian academics to international scholarly conversations. This reflects a dedication to cultural heritage preservation, as cinematic and academic explorations of the region’s past help ensure that future generations can access and appreciate the rich traditions of Southeast Asia.

The engagement of UGM scholars in forums such as the AAS also reinforces the importance of equality in academic representation, particularly for scholars from under-represented regions. By creating spaces where diverse voices can be heard, the CHSS 2026 project and UGM’s leadership contribute to a more inclusive and equitable global academic landscape.

Moving forward, UGM’s continued leadership of the CHSS Indonesia Hub is expected to foster deeper collaborations among scholars across Asia, promoting education for sustainability, empowerment, and the preservation of cultural heritage through interdisciplinary research and international dialogue. The success of this participation in the AAS 2026 forum serves as a testament to the transformative potential of academic exchange in building a more connected and culturally aware global community.

Universitas Gadjah Mada Becomes the Leader of Indonesia’s HUB in the AAS Project: CHSS (Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Under-Represented Scholars of Asia Project) 2026 through International Collaboration

Sleman, October 6, 2026 — Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has been officially entrusted to lead Indonesia’s HUB in the AAS Project: CHSS (Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Under-Represented Scholars of Asia Project) 2026 through international collaboration. The announcement was made at Universitas Gadjah Mada on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB). This appointment affirms UGM’s position as one of the key hubs for the development of humanities and social sciences in Asia.

CHSS 2026 is an international academic forum held on 23–27 September 2026 at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan. The forum brought together academics, researchers, and institutional leaders from various Asian countries to shape a more inclusive and future-oriented direction for humanities and social science scholarship.

In this event, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) participated through representatives of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM, namely Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, Dr. Aprillia Firmonasari, and Dr. Merry Andriani. Their presence reflects FIB UGM’s strong commitment to capacity building for scholars, particularly those who have long been under-represented in global academic conversations.

The event was attended by the President of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), Elora Shehabuddin, along with AAS leaders including Krisna Uk, Hilary Finchum-Sung, and Brandon Johnson. The presence of these prominent academic leaders underscored the growing global attention to equal access and equal opportunities within the international academic community.

Also in attendance was Eren Zink, Senior Research Advisor at SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency). SIDA’s involvement highlighted the importance of development policies that promote education for sustainability in the Global South, ensuring that scientific progress is shared equitably across nations.

Other participants included representatives of the HUB from Indonesia, led by Universitas Gadjah Mada, as well as HUBs from Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. The participation of these countries made CHSS 2026 a vital platform for cross-national discussions on the future of humanities and social sciences in Asia.

The meeting focused on the Theory of Change, an approach used to maximize outcomes that directly benefit society in CHSS programs. Through this approach, every academic activity is designed not merely to remain at the discursive level, but to deliver tangible empowerment for both scholarly communities and society at large.

The event also served as a space for knowledge exchange, network development, and academic collaboration on various Asian and Global South issues, such as migration, education, gender, governance, climate change, public health, and cultural heritage. These issues are closely linked to the sustainable development agenda, including guaranteed equal access to education and equal opportunities for all.

In particular, gender issues were a central concern of the forum, in line with the spirit of women’s empowerment in the academic ecosystem. Women scholars from Asia and the Global South are seen as needing greater space to lead research, publish their work, and contribute to international scholarly networks.

UGM’s participation in the forum further strengthened international cooperation and opened up opportunities for cross-country research collaboration. The networks established are expected to broaden access for young researchers and under-represented scholars to academic resources, research funding, and global publication outlets.

As a follow-up, UGM will host an international workshop in Yogyakarta on 19–23 October 2026. This workshop continues UGM’s commitment to leading Indonesia’s HUB and strengthening Indonesia’s role in the landscape of humanities and social science research across Asia.

In addition, the CHSS event coincided with a pre-workshop consisting of two panels. The first panel discussed the issue of migration, while the second addressed gender issues in relation to the theory of disjointness. Both panels served as important forums for understanding the complex social dynamics of Asia and the Global South.

With this achievement, UGM hopes to continue promoting a more open and equitable academic governance, ensuring that the humanities and social sciences make real contributions to sustainable education, equal access, and community empowerment at both the local and global levels.