Decentralization in Indonesia opens the opportunity for regions to play a greater role as a global economic player. Facts on the field suggests that incapability to run local autonomy has marginalized international orientation or, in other words, local governments still focus on reforming and developing in the medium term. Meanwhile, globalization can be integrated with regional development strategies on a gradual basis. In fact, with the international awareness present early, the region tends to be better in dealing with the dynamics in the time to come.
"Therefore, necessary preparations as early as possible are needed to bring a city to global level with competitive and sustainable capacity," said Andereas S. Nugraha, S.I.P., Assistant PIC of Globalization and Local Development Cluster, Short Course on International Political Economy: Understanding Your Local Economy, Preparing Your Global Outlook, at UGM MM Guest House, Wednesday (23/11). The training cooperation between the Institute of International Studies and the UGM’s World Trade Studies Center was held from 22-25 November 2011.
Andereas added that the background to hold the training was because of the presence of inter-regional networking significance (city-to-city) which is increasingly growing in the international economy along with the redistribution process of wealth and authority. It is not surprising that later there are cities emerging as new hubs at the global level regardless of their national profile. Limited geographic scope made urban development progressive, allowing it to accelerate its positioning efforts among its competitors from the various regions as well as to mark the strengthening of the era of networked communities.
"We know the city should progress independently, in addition to the progress in the framework of the country in general, if you want to be part of the globalization trend which on the one hand has diffuse traits because it is multicentre and multi-actor as mentioned before," he said.
This activity consists of two main parts, namely lecturing and field studies with the aim of enriching the understanding of the realities and current trends. The trainees come from the Chamber of Commerce, Bappeda (Regional Planning & Development Board) of Palangkaraya, Jogja Investment Forum, Office of Industry Commerce and Cooperation, and lecturers.