1 August 2023
On July 11 — August 1, 2023 Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS), Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia, hosted the MMAT 2023 Summer Course Program. This year's program was devoted to the theme “Southeast Asian Dynamics in the Indo-Pacific”. Ms. Kira Tabunova, Expert of the ASEAN Centre, joined the course program and visited the Center in Yogyakarta.
The MMAT 2023 Summer Course Program is an educational platform designed to promote knowledge exchange and better understanding of the geopolitical situation in the Indo-Pacific. The course’s mission is to unite lecturers and researchers from different countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia, Germany, Finland, Australia, and the UK), and facilitate the experience and research outcomes' exchange. The Program’s participants have unique opportunity to communicate with various experts and receive valuable information about the current problems and challenges that region is facing today. During the three weeks course 18 thematic lectures were held. They covered a wide range of issues related to political, economic, social, historical and cultural discourse. Within the framework of this program, Dr. Ekaterina Koldunova, Director of the ASEAN Centre, Associate Professor of the Department of Asian and African Studies, delivered a lecture titled "Southeast Asia in Russian Perspective".
On July 24, 2023 Ms. Kira Tabunova visited the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies. As a part of the visit program she met with Dr. Muhadi Sugiono, Head of Research, Journal and Cooperation Division, and Dr. Vissia Ita Yulianto, Head of the Publication, Program and Workshop Division. Dr. Muhadi Sugiono told about the Center activities, the MMAT Summer Courses that have been successfully held since 2016, as well as about the publications issued by the Center. Ms. Kira Tabunova, in turn, presented the activities of the ASEAN Centre, its core mission, annual events organized by the Centre as well as the MA program “Political Economy of the ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership”. The ASEAN Centre Expert also gifted to the Center's library the Russian edition of Dr. Marty Natalegawa’s book “Does ASEAN Matter? A view from within”. Russian translation was edited by Dr. Victor Sumsky, Senior Expert of the ASEAN Centre and published as a part of the Centre’s translation projects.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed the prospects for further cooperation between the Centers, as well as between Gadjah Mada University and MGIMO. Both sides agreed in the near future to complete the signing of the MoU, that will imply students and lecturers exchanges, organization of joint seminars and conferences devoted to the current trends and changes related to ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Region and their cooperation with Russia.
