The Media and Communication Thematic Research Group (TRG) of Universitas Hasanuddin has been selected through a competitive process by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and Nuffic Southeast Asia to present its research at the prestigious international forum, the Week of Indonesia–Netherlands Education and Research (WINNER) 2025.
This year’s WINNER carries the theme “Building a Sustainable Future through Education and Research,” bringing together academics, researchers, and students from both countries. The participation of TRG Unhas—highlighting research rooted in the Mandar fishing community—became one of the key contributions offering new perspectives on global sustainability. The event took place on 7–9 October 2025 in Jakarta and Bogor.
The forum opened with a plenary session at the BJ Habibie Building of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), featuring discussions on the future of bilateral research. The atmosphere was highly enthusiastic, reflecting the commitment of both nations to strengthening their educational and research ecosystems.
During the 8 October panel at IPB University, titled “Local Wisdom for Marine Sustainability,” TRG Unhas presented its research on family communication among Mandar fisher families and the transmission of paissangang sumombal values. Andi Nur Fitrah served as moderator and opened the session by presenting the initial research findings on how Mandar families communicate and transfer cultural values. This was followed by Prof. Dr. Tuti Bahfiarti, who elaborated on the role of interpersonal communication in sustaining cultural values and maritime ethics.
The panel also featured Muhammad Ridwan Alimuddin, who highlighted documentation practices of Mandar maritime culture, and Prof. Aone van Engelenhoven, Ph.D. from Leiden University, who offered comparative insights on oral traditions as repositories of ecological knowledge across Austronesian communities.
Through this forum, TRG Unhas and Leiden University also opened opportunities for further collaboration, including the plan to publish a book that will compile research on Mandar maritime culture as an academic follow-up to WINNER 2025—ideally in collaboration with KITLV Jakarta as the prospective publisher.
The selection of TRG Unhas’ research for this international forum reinforces the group’s position as a significant contributor within the Indonesia–Netherlands scientific network and a leading voice in advancing local wisdom–based sustainability studies.
