The Global Humanities Alliance (GHA) successfully concluded its 2nd Annual Meeting 2025, held from 30th September to 2nd October in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and hosted by Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). The gathering brought together scholars, academic leaders, and researchers from all eight partner universities across the continents: Ashoka University (India), Mahidol University (Thailand), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia), University of Manchester (United Kingdom), University of Melbourne (Australia), University of Nairobi (Kenya), and University of Toronto (Canada).
The Alliance, established by these institutions, aims to raise the global profile and impact of the humanities and social sciences, with collaborative efforts guided by four core themes: Public Humanities, Sustainability and Climate Change, Decolonising Knowledge, and Digital Transformations.
A key milestone of the Annual Meeting was the signing of a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by representatives of the eight partner universities on 30 September 2025 at Universitas Gadjah Mada. This agreement reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering research, teaching, and global dialogue on the most pressing social and political challenges of our time.
The meeting opened with a roundtable on International Collaboration on 30 September, chaired by Prof. Poppy Wihanti (Vice Dean, Academic and Student Affairs, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada) and Prof. Kate McGregor (Associate Dean International, The Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne). Distinguished participants included academic leaders from all eight partner universities, who engaged in dynamic discussions on strengthening international networks, mobility, and co-created knowledge in the humanities and social sciences. Ashoka University was represented by Prof. Mitul Baruah, Head of the Department, Environmental Studies; Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology and Environmental Studies.
Over the following days, the program featured thematic panels under GHA’s core areas:
GHA Public Humanities Panel (1 October 2025): Creative Media, Publics, and Social Resilience, co-chaired by Dr. Anne Kamau (University of Nairobi). The session featured contributions from Dr. Edwin Jurriëns (University of Melbourne), Dr. Krittika Bhattacharjee (Ashoka University), Dr. Yulida Pangastuti (Universitas Gadjah Mada), and Dr. Novi Kurnia (Universitas Gadjah Mada). The panel highlighted diverse approaches to art, media, religion, memory, and digital literacy as pathways to social resilience.
GHA Decolonising Knowledge Panel (2 October 2025): Reimagining Tools of Justice for Decolonized Futures: Visible-Invisible Voices and the World In Between, co-chaired by Dr. Luqman Nul Hakim (Universitas Gadjah Mada) and Prof. Kate McGregor (University of Melbourne). Speakers included Prof. Kamari Clarke (University of Toronto), Prof. Jennifer Balint (University of Melbourne), and Dr. Diah Kusumaningrum (Universitas Gadjah Mada). The discussion explored new frameworks for justice, transnational legal studies, and the decolonisation of knowledge practices.
The Annual Meeting brought together an atmosphere of exchange, collaboration, and forward-looking dialogue, with hybrid participation ensuring global accessibility. It marked a significant step in GHA’s ongoing mission to create inclusive, socially engaged, and impactful humanities scholarship worldwide.
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