As part of the Strategic Study Abroad program to Malaysia, the National Resilience Program of the Graduate School at Gadjah Mada University had the opportunity to visit Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin in Terengganu. The visit, held on August 28th 2024, was attended by all master’s and doctoral students, as well as faculty and staff. The purpose of the campus visit was to enrich students’ insights and perspectives in observing and analyzing current events.
During the visit, Prof. Dr. Mohd Afandi Saleh from the Faculty of Law and International Relations at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin presented a lecture titled “International Law: Power vs. Justice in Global Crisis.” In his lecture, Prof. Afandi discussed the constructivist paradigm in viewing the ongoing conflicts in several countries. The rise of social movements in various nations as a response to ongoing conflicts was argued by Prof. Afandi to demonstrate the relationship between agency and structure, where agency influences structure and vice versa.
“With the large-scale protests coming from civil society, the structure of global institutions is believed to undergo changes. The discourse on social justice will also lead to structural changes in the state system and international society,” said Prof. Afandi during his presentation at the Center for Arts and Heritage at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin.
As a follow-up to the National Resilience Study Program’s visit to Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, cooperation between these study programs was established for the development of journal publications and scientific articles, as well as student exchange activities.
This activity aligns with the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provides access to justice for all, and builds effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Author: Lukman Yuwan Najib
Editor: Arni Wistriatun