The Department of Politics and Government (DPP), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Fisipol UGM), in collaboration with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), organized an Environmental Governance short course program.
This program serves as a joint learning platform for students from both universities to explore challenges and opportunities in environmental governance.
The activity not only brings together cross-disciplinary perspectives but also strengthens students’ global understanding of increasingly complex environmental issues.
This collaboration reflects UGM’s spirit in expanding its international academic network and building young leadership in environmental affairs.
The program consists of two main parts: online learning sessions and field lectures. In the initial phase, participants attended four online courses to establish a theoretical foundation before entering the field.
Materials were delivered by Fisipol UGM lecturers, including Nur Azizah, Professor Amalinda Savirani, and Dr. Hasrul Hanif from DPP Fisipol UGM. Also contributing was Dr. Hendrie Adji Kusworo, from the Postgraduate Program in Population Studies.
The diverse perspectives shared enriched participants’ understanding of environmental governance concepts. This included social, political, and cultural aspects. This material became an important provision for understanding the complexity of environmental problems that cannot be viewed singularly.
The field lecture was held from Jul. 1-3, 2025, in the form of an intensive field trip. Students had the opportunity to conduct direct observation and discuss with various stakeholders involved in environmental management.
The program was attended by 24 SUSS students and 10 DPP Fisipol UGM students, who also served as student buddies, under the guidance of lecturers from both institutions.
This interaction not only strengthened inter-student relationships but also reinforced the collaborative spirit in seeking environmental solutions based on local and global contexts.
The first day focused on waste governance. Participants engaged in discussions with the Project B team regarding the recycling system they developed.
This activity continued with a visit to Piyungan Landfill, where students learned directly from the Mardiko Community and MPM Muhammadiyah about the dynamics of waste management at the grassroots level.
Interactive discussions and field practices created an opportunity for reflection on waste management challenges at various levels. Students were also invited to think critically about comparing policy and implementation contexts in Indonesia and Singapore.
On the second day, participants delved into water governance. Together with the Kalijawi Community, they traced the flow of Kali Gajahwong and Kali Winongo while learning about community-based water management practices.
They also visited the Sonobudoyo Museum to gain a deeper understanding of the close relationship between natural resources, history, and local culture.
Through this approach, students were encouraged to understand that environmental governance encompasses not only technology but also values and local wisdom.
This experience strengthened awareness of the importance of cultural integration in environmental policy.
The third day took up the theme of sustainable tourism. Participants visited the Borobudur Temple area and the Balkondes Karanganyar to see firsthand how tourism development can be done without sacrificing cultural and environmental preservation.
Discussions with local actors opened new perspectives on the importance of community participation in designing inclusive tourism.
This activity also provided an understanding that tourism sustainability depends on the balance between conservation and the local economy. By visiting value-rich locations, participants learned to apply theory in real contexts.
One of the participants from SUSS, Chloe, admitted that the program gave her a great deal of insight and encouraged her to think more reflectively.
She believes that the cross-cultural approach and diverse perspectives presented in this program are a great added value in the learning process.
Interaction with UGM students also made the experience more meaningful.
“In my opinion, this program is very eye-opening. We discussed a lot and were encouraged to think critically; everything was very beneficial for us,” Chloe said.
Wafa, a DPP Fisipol UGM student, felt the same way. Wafa admitted to gaining much new knowledge from this activity.
Besides broadening academic understanding, this program also strengthened cross-country friendships.
Students learned to appreciate differences while finding common threads that unite them in sustainability issues.
“This program is very useful for my knowledge, both in the future and now,” Wafa revealed.
Through this program, UGM and SUSS demonstrated a shared commitment to shaping a resilient generation sensitive to global environmental challenges.
This collaborative experience represents a concrete step toward promoting interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approaches in addressing the climate crisis and other environmental challenges.
DPP Fisipol UGM hopes this cooperation can continue as part of its mission to internationalize education and make a real contribution to just and sustainable environmental governance.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya