Written by Muhammad Syahaidil Fahmy bin Helmi and Dr Leha Saliman
The Politics and Government Student Society (POLGOV), under the Politics and Government Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), in collaboration with the Student Corps of Politics and Government (KOMAP), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), successfully organised an international academic mobility programme in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 21 to 26 June 2025. This initiative marked a milestone in advancing academic collaboration and strengthening cross-cultural understanding between Malaysia and Indonesia in the field of politics and government studies.
Supervised by Professor Datu Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat, Dr Leha Saliman, and Muhammad Azzubair Awwam bin Mustafa, the programme was directed by Muhammad Syahaidil Fahmy bin Helmi, and supported by an organising committee. Guided by the theme POLGOV UNIMAS x UGM: Bridging Ideas, the exchange involved 30 third-year students and four lecturers from UNIMAS, alongside peers and faculty members from UGM.
Over six days, participants engaged in academic forums, political seminars, institutional visits, and comparative discussions on governance, democracy, and cultural pluralism. Highlights included the International Political Forum on Diversity and Democracy, a global classroom dialogue on political systems, and strategic meetings exploring joint research and academic collaborations.
Beyond formal activities, students engaged in cultural exchanges, campus tours, visits to notable sites in Yogyakarta, and the ASEAN Unity Games, which fostered regional solidarity through informal interactions. Community outreach at Panti Asuhan Darun Najah further reflected the values of empathy and social responsibility under the MADANI framework. The closing International Culture Night showcased traditional performances from Malaysia and Indonesia, reinforcing cultural diplomacy as a bridge for academic and social ties.
Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), the programme demonstrated the role of student mobility in fostering inclusive governance, international cooperation, and leadership development. Ultimately, the Bridging Ideas programme exemplified UNIMAS’s commitment to producing globally minded graduates and reaffirmed POLGOV’s role in promoting academic excellence, intercultural dialogue, and youth leadership in Southeast Asia.
