The Faculty of Social Sciences at Universitas Negeri Semarang (FISIP UNNES) held the closing ceremony of its Lecture Series titled “Sustainable Development in Asian Community” on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. This event marked the culmination of a nine-session international lecture series organized in collaboration between the Sociology and Anthropology Education Study Program of FISIP UNNES and the Eurasia Foundation (from Asia), Japan.
The lecture series aimed to broaden students’ perspectives on sustainable development issues within the context of Asian societies. The opening session of the closing event was moderated by Dr.scient.med. Fadly Husain, M.Si., Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs of FISIP UNNES, and featured two keynote speakers: Prof. Oekan S. Abdoellah, Ph.D., Professor of Human Ecology from Universitas Padjadjaran, and Dr. Hartati Sulistyo Rini, M.A., lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology Education at FISIP UNNES.
Prof. Oekan S. Abdoellah discussed the current state of sustainable development in Indonesia, which he described as being at a crossroads, between pursuing economic growth or striving for ecological and social justice. He argued that development practices centered on natural resource exploitation have led to deforestation, environmental degradation, climate crises, and social inequality, often victimizing local communities under the guise of progress.
To address these challenges, Prof. Oekan emphasized the need for a political-ecological transformation through a socio-ecological resilience approach that sees humans and nature as interconnected and inseparable systems. He highlighted the importance of strong political will, recognition of local knowledge, and active community involvement as key elements in realizing inclusive, equitable, and transformative sustainable development in Indonesia.
Dr. Hartati Sulistyo Rini, M.A., underscored the strategic role of youth, especially Generation Z, in advancing sustainable development that transcends economic objectives to also include social, cultural, political, and environmental dimensions. Young people are seen as change agents with strong digital capabilities, concern for global issues such as climate change and mental health, and a spirit of inclusivity and multiculturalism. However, they also face significant challenges such as pragmatism, digital distraction, and political apathy.
With a strong sense of agency, youth are believed to have the potential to drive social transformation through active participation, creativity, and innovation, becoming key actors in shaping a more just and sustainable future.
The event was attended by all fourth-semester students of the Sociology and Anthropology Education Program, who actively engaged in discussions throughout the series on various sustainable development topics from both local and global perspectives.
The closing ceremony was officially led by the Dean of FISIP UNNES, Prof. Dr. Arif Purnomo, S.Pd., S.S., M.Pd., who expressed his appreciation to all speakers and participants. In his remarks, he emphasized that sustainable education is a fundamental pillar in cultivating a generation that is aware of global challenges and prepared to become agents of social change.
This program serves as concrete evidence of FISIP UNNES’s contribution to enhancing students’ academic capacity, fostering international networks, and embedding sustainability values into higher education. It also reflects UNNES’s active commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), through strengthened academic capacity and international collaborative partnerships.
