UNDIP, Semarang (September 11, 2025) – The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), welcomed visiting professors from Brazil as part of the Visiting Professor Program held on September 9–18, 2025, in Semarang City. Their presence is expected to strengthen international research networks, particularly in the areas of communication, disinformation, and digital transformation in the Global South.
The program commenced with a Faculty Welcoming Meeting opened by the Dean of FISIP UNDIP on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Dean of FISIP UNDIP, Dr. Teguh Yuwono, stated that this collaboration is a strategic step to enhance Indonesia’s academic contribution to global discourse. “The presence of visiting professors from Brazil not only expands international research networks but also provides opportunities to develop Global South perspectives in addressing the challenges of disinformation and digital transformation in society,” he said.
Dr. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin, also emphasized that beyond sharing rich cultural traditions and dynamic democracies, Indonesia and Brazil face similar challenges and opportunities in governance, development, and social transformation. He reaffirmed FISIP UNDIP’s commitment to developing a globally oriented academic environment through strengthening joint research, scholarly exchange, and faculty and student mobility.
The Faculty Welcoming Meeting also featured an academic discussion titled “Global South Dialogue: Brazil–Indonesia Perspective on Technology, Digital Communication and Society,” attended by the FISIP UNDIP academic community.
As part of the Visiting Professor series, on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Inaugural Lectures will be delivered by Prof. Afonso Albuquerque on “Disinformation Studies as an Emerging Field of Knowledge” and Prof. Thaiane Moreira on “Epistemic Sovereignty in Times of Disinformation: Global South Perspectives from Brazil and Indonesia.” Both are academics from Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Brazil.
In addition to public lectures, the program includes collaborative research discussions between CiteLab (Brazil) and the Expertise-Based Group (KBK) of Digital Communication Technology and Society (UNDIP). Topics to be discussed include health communication and disinformation in the Global South, as well as plans for organizing the BRICS+ Academic Event 2026.
On Friday, September 12, 2025, the program will continue with an International Research Roundtable and a Workshop on Research Methodology in Science Communication. This collaboration between FISIP UNDIP and ASPIKOM Central Java–Yogyakarta will feature Brazilian and Indonesian researchers presenting preliminary findings on disinformation, health communication related to non-communicable diseases, and digital ageism trends in healthcare services. Researchers from various Communication Studies programs around Semarang are also scheduled to present their research.
This series of activities is expected to lay the foundation for long-term cooperation between Universitas Diponegoro and Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Brazil, including research collaboration, academic exchange, and the development of future international programs. (Public Communication/FISIP/Tian)