Short Course, Long Impact: The Story Behind the Collaboration Between DPP and SUSS

Department of Politics and Government (DPP) collaborated with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to organize a short course program under the overarching theme of Environmental Governance. The program aimed to equip students with the ability to recognize the challenges and opportunities arising from various global issues, while also enhancing their interdisciplinary perspectives.

The short course consisted of two main phases: online learning and field study. Participants engaged in a series of online classes held over four sessions. These online sessions featured lecturers from Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL UGM), including Prof. Amalinda Savirani, Nur Azizah, M.Sc., and Dr. Hasrul Hanif from Department of Politics and Government, as well as Hendrie Adji Kusworo, Ph.D. from Department of Social Development and Welfare. Together, they offered interdisciplinary perspectives on environmental governance, laying the substantive foundation for the field study conducted from July 1 to 3, 2025.

The field study was attended by 24 students from SUSS, 10 students from DPP, and lecturers from both institutions. This activity provided students with the opportunity to directly observe the global challenges faced by citizens and other stakeholders.

On the first day, participants explored the topic of waste governance in collaboration with Project B, learning about waste management and recycling to create marketable products. They also visited the Integrated Waste Management Site (TPST) in Piyungan, where they examined local waste management practices with Komunitas Mardiko and MPM Muhammadiyah.

On the second day, the focus shifted to water governance. Participants traced the Gajahwong and Winongo Riverside alongside Komunitas Kalijawi. In addition, they visited the Sonobudoyo Museum to gain insight into Indonesia’s historical and cultural context.

On the final day, participants visited Borobudur Temple and Balkondes Karanganyar to study sustainable tourism. They learned how tourism can be developed sustainably without compromising cultural and ecological values.

Chloe, one of the participants from SUSS, shared her impressions of the program, saying, “I found that it’s very insightful and we have a lot of discussions to encourage reflective thinking, so all these are very helpful to us ….”

Wafa, DPP student who also joined the course, expressed a similar sentiment: “I think that’s quite a lot of new information here, and I find it very useful for my knowledge both now and in the future.”

Through this program, students were encouraged to explore the complexity of global issues through cross-cultural experiences and interdisciplinary approaches. The program also reflects DPP’s ongoing commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This course underlines DPP’s commitment to promote learning that extends beyond theoretical frameworks, emphasizing local contexts and real-world experiences as essential to higher education’s role in shaping a generation that is empathetic, reflective, and equipped to serve as agents of change for global sustainability.