In 2024, Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad) strengthened its position as a neutral and inclusive venue for open dialogue among political, academic, and civic actors. Through the Center for Political and Democratic Studies and the Center for State Policy Studies, the university organized a series of public forums and policy discussions on pressing national issues. These included a forum on “Fair Trade to Reduce Losses in the Era of Trade Liberalization,” a policy dialogue with the Ministry of Manpower on preparing Indonesia’s future workforce, and a legal discussion with the Supreme Court on revising the Consumer Protection Act. Unpad also convened the “Padjadjaran Call” to promote democratic values and civic engagement, and hosted a late 2024 forum with Bappenas focused on regulatory reform. Collectively, these activities reinforce Unpad’s role as a credible hub for transparent, evidence based, and collaborative policymaking.
Supreme Court Urges Academic Review of Indonesia’s Consumer Protection Law
In June 2024, Universitas Padjadjaran hosted a seminar on the enforcement of consumer protection laws in e commerce, featuring Supreme Court Justice Syamsul Maarif as the keynote speaker. Justice Syamsul highlighted that Indonesia’s Consumer Protection Law, enacted 25 years ago as part of the reform era, has not been functioning effectively despite its strategic importance. He noted the lack of comprehensive data on both litigation and non litigation cases and pointed out the gap between regulatory frameworks and actual market practices, where businesses often implement consumer protection measures more rapidly than the law itself. He urged academics to reexamine the law’s substance, institutional design, and sanctions, emphasizing the need for potential reform. The seminar, held in collaboration with the Supreme Court of Indonesia and the Federal Court of Australia, also featured legal experts from Indonesia and abroad and was formally opened by the Vice Dean for Learning, Student Affairs, and Research of Unpad’s Faculty of Law.
Unpad Explores Fair Trade Principles in an Era of Slowing Global Trade Liberalization
In September 2024, Universitas Padjadjaran hosted a public lecture on International Trade Law titled “OJK Mengajar: Fair Trade in the Financial Services Industry,” delivered by Dr. Dian Ediana Rae, Chief Executive for Banking Supervision and Member of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority (OJK). Speaking at the Faculty of Law, Dr. Dian highlighted the stagnation of global efforts toward full trade liberalization under the World Trade Organization, noting that rising protectionism has reduced global trade activity and threatens the shared prosperity originally envisioned. He warned that continued setbacks could lead to global output losses of up to 2.3 percent of GDP, with developing countries facing the greatest risks. To mitigate this, he emphasized the importance of adopting fair trade principles that protect producers, promote transparency, ensure technical assistance, and expand market access. Dr. Dian also underscored the need for consistent industrial, trade, and investment policies to restore investor confidence, and explained how gradual liberalization in the banking sector can strengthen competitiveness. The event received strong appreciation from the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr. Sigid Suseno, who expressed hope that similar expert-led lectures would continue to enrich students’ perspectives and academic curriculum.
Discussion: Preparing Indonesia’s Future Workforce in the Digital Era
In June 2024, Universitas Padjadjaran hosted a public lecture by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower, Prof. Anwar Sanusi, who discussed the opportunities and challenges of employment in the digital era as part of the “Society 5.0” lecture series. Speaking to students at Bale Sawala, Prof. Anwar highlighted global megatrends, demographic shifts, and technological disruption that are reshaping the labor market, emphasizing the need to create nearly 200 million jobs by 2045 to maximize Indonesia’s demographic bonus. He noted that while digitalization eliminates some jobs and creates new ones, workers must strengthen key skills such as data analysis, creative thinking, decision making, and digital literacy. He stressed the importance of internships, continuous upskilling, adaptability to flexible work arrangements, and understanding emerging fields such as green jobs. Rector Prof. Rina Indiastuti encouraged students to remain optimistic and develop strong soft skills, character, and work ethic to become future leaders contributing to Indonesia’s progress.
Padjadjaran Call: Unpad Community Voices Moral Appeal to Protect Democracy
In February 2024, the academic community and alumni of Universitas Padjadjaran gathered in an event titled “Padjadjaran Call” to voice their concerns over the state of democracy and the rule of law in Indonesia. Professors, lecturers, students, and alumni jointly expressed a moral appeal urging national leaders, public officials, political elites, and the public to safeguard a democratic, ethical, and dignified legal state. Prof. Arief Anshory Yusuf emphasized that academics serve as a final safeguard when common sense, conscience, and public interest begin to be disregarded in national life. Coordinating professor Prof. Susi Dwi Harijanti highlighted that the statement was built on inclusive input from the entire Unpad community, reflecting their collective responsibility as intellectuals. The declaration, delivered by Prof. Ganjar Kurnia, responded to recent social, political, economic, and legal developments indicating a decline in democratic quality, reinforcing Unpad’s commitment to its core scientific mission on law and environmental stewardship in national development.
PSKN Unpad Advances Evidence Based Discussion on Regulatory Reform
The Center for State Policy Studies (PSKN FH Unpad) consistently provides an open and neutral discussion platform for academics, policymakers, and legal practitioners to exchange ideas on governance and public policy issues. One example is the December 2024 dissemination forum organized in collaboration with the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas RI) on “The Establishment of a Single Regulatory Management Agency.” Held online and streamed via YouTube, the event allowed diverse stakeholders to share insights and constructive feedback on strengthening Indonesia’s regulatory governance framework, reflecting PSKN’s ongoing role in fostering inclusive and evidence-based policy dialogue.
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