UGM actively initiates and hosts dialogues on sustainable development issues on campus, becoming a space governmental and non-governmental actors to find common ground.
Since 2016, the Faculty of Geography has run a monthly forum known as the SDGs Seminar Series. Focusing on topics aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each edition features expert speakers and strategic partners tailored to the specific theme. Designed as a dynamic forum for dialogue, the series brings together academics, students, NGO activists, media professionals, public servants, policymakers, educators, and the general public. Beyond offering deep insights into sustainability issues, it serves as a key platform for shaping innovative solutions to advance sustainable development. These dialogues are accessible on the official social media platform.
Across campus, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences held the Bulaksumur Roundtable Forum 2025 in August 2025, in which academics, government representatives, and international partners, including the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the British Ambassador to ASEAN, conferred on how democratic environmental governance can strengthen climate action. At the forum, UGM and WFD launched the ASEAN Environmental Democracy Observatory Report and Datasets, an assessment of environmental democracy across eight Southeast Asian countries (SDG 13).
In February 2025, UGM’s Bureau of Strategic Management, together with the Environmental Bamboo Foundation, a non-profit organization advocating bamboo as an ecological and economic solution to Indonesia’s challenges, held a workshop with the Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs. Participants discussed bamboo’s potential as a carbon sink and how it can help Indonesia meet its Nationally Determined Contribution targets (SDG 13).
In May 2025, the Faculty of Law held a seminar on mapping law and natural resource management that brought together legal and geospatial experts, students, and the Heads of Land Offices across the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Participants discussed how legal certainty, accurate geospatial data, and the One Map Policy can support fair and sustainable natural resource governance (SDG 15 and 16).
As an institution of higher education, UGM is firm in its neutrality, facilitating meetings among parties from all sectors.
The Faculty of Forestry gave forest farmer groups in the villages of Bunder Forest Park, Gunungkidul Regency a direct channel to share their concerns with policymakers from the Tahura Bunder Office and the Regional House of Representatives of the Special Region of Yogyakarta about their role in conservation and their welfare. This series of dialogue and capacity-building sessions in 2025 focused on conservation area management and sustainable ecotourism development (SDG 15).
Experts from UGM’s centers of excellences and faculties are frequently invited and participate in cross-sectoral dialogue on sustainable development beyond campus.
The Center for Environmental Studies took part in the Knowledge Sharing Forum on the Green Academy Learning Assessment, held by the Ministry of National Development Planning in February 2025. The forum gathered input from environmental experts from universities and other institutions on green economy planning under the National Long-Term Development Plan 2025–2045 and on the design of the Green Economy Learning Academy platform. UGM recommended that GELA reach the private sector as well as government, using project-based learning on circular economy (in support of SDG 8 and 12).
From the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Dr. Murtiningrum spoke at the dialogue session of the Clean Irrigation Movement, launched by the Bengawan Solo River Basin Office in Karanganyar in August 2025, emphasizing that clean irrigation depends on empowering Water User Farmers Associations, not only on technical measures (supports SDG 2 and 6). The event brought together government agencies, academics, farmers, and residents. The Faculty also contributed its expertise during a cross-ministerial discussion on food security hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture in May 2025. It brought together experts from various fields to build cross-sector synergy in addressing national food security challenges (SDG 2).
References
- SDGs Seminar Series as a dynamic forum for dialogue
- SDGs Seminar Series official Youtube Channel
- Bulaksumur Roundtable Forum 2025
- Workshop with Environmental Bamboo Foundation and the Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs
- Seminar on mapping law and natural resource management with Heads of Land Offices
- Series of dialogue and capacity-building session with Tahura Bunder Office and the Regional House of Representatives
- UGM Experts participate in the Knowledge Sharing Forum
- UGM Expert speaks in the Clean Irrigation Movement
- UGM Experts contributes in cross-ministerial discussion on food security