Yogyakarta, May 16th 2025 – The Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM) welcomed an official visit from Chung Chi College, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), as one of the efforts to foster academic collaboration and broaden cross-cultural and interfaith understanding. The visit was supported by Duta Wacana Christian University (UKDW), which maintains a strong connection with SPs UGM through their joint participation in the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS).
The delegation from Chung Chi College paid a special visit to the Doctoral Program in Inter-religious Studies (IRS) at SPs UGM. The event began with an official welcome from Dr. techn. Khabib Mustofa, Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources at SPs UGM, who expressed appreciation for the visit and shared hopes for future collaboration.
The delegation was introduced by Rev. Prof. Tobias Brandner, who also delivered brief remarks outlining the purpose of the visit: to explore the dynamics of interreligious life in Indonesia and understand the academic contributions of the IRS program in that context.
The main session was presented by Dr. Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras, a lecturer and researcher at IRS, who delivered an insightful presentation on various aspects of interfaith life in Indonesia. He highlighted the role of IRS in fostering interfaith dialogue and shared concrete examples of religious coexistence amidst the challenges of pluralism.
The event continued with an interactive discussion session, with participants from Chung Chi College and IRS exchanging views and experiences regarding interfaith studies and religious diversity practices in their respective countries.
This visit is expected to mark the beginning of a closer academic collaboration between SPs UGM—especially the Doctoral Program in Inter-religious Studies—and Chung Chi College, CUHK, in the fields of interfaith studies and intercultural dialogue.
Author: Sri Pangesti Tuhu
Editor: Arni W.