Mataram, Universitas Mataram – For the first time, the International Relations Study Program Universitas Mataram held an International Seminar (International Seminar of International Relations, or ISIR for short) precisely on Thursday, October 20, 2022 in the Senate Room, Rectorate Building of Universitas Mataram (Unram).

This international seminar is a forum for academics and practitioners to understand various phenomena that occur in society. This International Seminar in 2022 raised the issue of refugee studies with the title “Stranded in Transit: The State of Refugees and Asylum Seekeres Waiting for Resettlement in Southeast Asia”. And also present speakers from various circles who are competent in their fields.

This is intended so that the audience gets insights from experts who are consensual in their fields so tha they are able to understand the issues discussed comprehensively. Also present as speakers were H.E. Yuyun Wahyuningrum as Indonesia’s Representative at the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR); Dr. Andika Wahab Permanent Researcher of IKMAS Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Atika Yuanita as the Chairperson of the Indonesian Asylum NGO; and Prof. Dr. Antje Missbach, Professor in the Sociology of Migration and Human Mobility, Bielefeld University who attended through the Zoom Meeting platform from Germany.

ISIR 2022 looks at the increasing dynamics of refugees and asylum seekers in Southeast Asia, one of which is in Indonesia and Malaysia. As one of the transit countries, the issue of migrants in Indonesia is still of little interest among stakeholders to find better solutions to resettlement schemes for migrants. The issues surrounding migrants in ‘transit countries’ also remain largely uninvestigated as migrants often deal not only with the authorities but also with the receiving communities. Therefore, it is hoped that this international seminar activity can trigger discussions among stakeholders and academics.

This seminar brings together scholars, researchers, policymakers, and refugee communities to sit down and exchange knowledge and assessments on the condition of refugees and asylum seekers in Southeast Asia so that they can produce outputs that can be used as policy considerations on migration issues in Indonesia or Southeast Asia.

The event was opened with remarks from the Vice Rector I for Academic Affairs of Unram, Agusdin, S.E., MBA., DBA. In his remarks, he said that the seminar with this theme would build people’s views to care about humanitarian aspects, namely the fate of refugees and a better country.

“NGOs, governments, and academics must discuss this in order to come up with solutions in dealing with refugees or asylum seekers, especially in Southeast Asia,” Agusdin said.

The event was guided by the moderator, namely a lecturer of the Unram International Relations Stydi Program, Heavy Nala Estriani.