ASTra International Lecture Series: Advancing Global Dialogue on SDG Transformation
6/2/2025 12:00:00 AM
Jakarta, June 2-5, 2025 – Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia (AJCUI), through its International Office, proudly held the ASTra (APTIK and SDG Transformation) International Lecture Series from 2 to 5 June 2025. This fully online academic program united national and international partners in a collaborative effort to advance interdisciplinary dialogue on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the course of four days, the program successfully engaged 679 registrants and recorded a total of 795 session feedback submissions, with participation from more than 70 universities and institutions across 10+ countries in Southeast Asia and Europe.
ASTra is a pioneering academic initiative that brings together Catholic universities under the APTIK (Asosiasi Perguruan Tinggi Katolik) network and international partner universities to explore critical issues in sustainability, justice, education, and innovation. The lecture series served as a platform to foster cross-border academic collaboration while offering students and faculty an opportunity to engage in global conversations on transformative SDG-related practices. Designed as a contribution to AJCUI’s Lustrum celebration in 2025, ASTra was hosted entirely via Zoom and featured a maximum of two sessions per day—ensuring a manageable yet impactful learning experience for its audience.
Unwavering Commitment to Global Education & sustainability
The seven sessions featured in the series were coordinated through the active involvement of all faculties at AJCUI, each working with a combination of APTIK universities and international counterparts. Among the institutions represented were Mahidol University (Thailand), Universiti Utara Malaysia, University of Immaculate Conception (Philippines), Pázmány Péter Catholic University (Hungary), Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia, and several Indonesian Catholic universities such as Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya and Universitas Sanata Dharma Yogyakarta. Together, speakers and moderators tackled a wide range of SDG-aligned themes, including sustainable business practices, digital realities in education, organ-on-a-chip technologies in medicine, circular economy, and legal frameworks for social equity.
Feedback from participants revealed a highly positive reception, with more than 95% rating the sessions as “Excellent” or “Good.” Many participants praised the clarity of content, relevance of themes, and diversity of speakers involved. The well-organized Zoom experience and timely scheduling were also appreciated. Some attendees also expressed interest in seeing more in-depth sessions or thematic continuity in future iterations. With this momentum, the International Office of AJCUI plans to continue the ASTra International Lecture Series in the upcoming academic semester. The next series will likely introduce new cross-sectoral themes, expand its international outreach, and deepen engagement with both faculty and students from partner institutions worldwide. (RBA)
