Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies

The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS), in partnership with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies (RLIGAS), of the Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences (RGLSOSS), proudly presents the Inaugural Southeast Asian Studies Student Colloquium. The event will be held on 22 April 2026 (Wednesday), 1 P.M., at the Faura AVR, Ateneo de Manila University.

This year’s outstanding papers and creative outputs will be presented by students from various disciplines across the Loyola Schools. The colloquium aims to provide a platform for emerging scholars to engage Southeast Asia, both as a cultural landscape and political entity, in critical conversations, share innovative scholarship, and explore pressing regional issues through a transdisciplinary lens. It also seeks to foster diverse viewpoints that illuminate the rich social, cultural, economic, and political realities, as well as other vital dimensions, of Southeast Asian studies. Topics span a spectrum of themes, including culture and identity, governance and development, regional integration, and contemporary social challenges facing Southeast Asia within local and global contexts.

All members of the Ateneo community are warmly invited to attend and support the work of our student researchers.

📣 CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS), in collaboration with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies (RLIGAS), invites undergraduate students from the Ateneo Loyola Schools, across all disciplines, to submit proposals for the Southeast Asian Studies Student Colloquium.

We welcome individual papers, as well as collaborative and transdisciplinary projects, that engage with the diverse realities of Southeast Asia. Submissions may explore a broad range of themes, including social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions, and are encouraged to offer fresh perspectives and critical insights into the region.

The Student Colloquium seeks to illuminate the diverse sociocultural, economic, and political tapestry of Southeast Asia through multidisciplinary and translocal perspectives. It serves as a platform for emerging scholars to share their work, generate new knowledge, and foster informed, critical discussions on the many contours of Southeast Asian societies, both within the region and in its broader global contexts.

📌You may submit your proposals through go.ateneo.edu/AISEASStudentColloquium or by scanning the QR code in the image below.

💌For further information regarding the Student Colloquium and other concerns, you may reach us through [email protected]

As per the recent memorandum from the Office of the Vice President for Higher Education (OVPHE), international and domestic mobility for faculty, staff, and students is temporarily restricted in response to the ongoing energy crisis.

Read the memo from the Office of the Vice President for Higher Education: https://go.ateneo.edu/HE-Y4-18

More on the University's response to the energy crisis: ateneo.edu/crisis-response

Ateneo Higher Education is implementing temporary restrictions on international and domestic mobility for faculty, staff, and students across the cluster, in response to the ongoing energy crisis.

Read the memo from the Office of the Vice President for Higher Education: https://go.ateneo.edu/HE-Y4-18

More on the University's response to the energy crisis: ateneo.edu/crisis-response

Geared up to explore the Mekong Region? Learn and experience Cambodia and Laos through the Southeast Asian Studies (SEAS) 101: Southeast Asia In-Country Field Study!

🌿 What’s in store for you this Intersession Term 2026?
✅ Explore and learn the social, cultural, historical, political, and economic landscapes of Cambodia & Laos, and their larger place in Southeast Asia.
✅ Sharpen your research skills with immersive, hands-on fieldwork and community-engaged scholarship.
✅ Build intercultural awareness and adaptability as you experience life in a dynamic, real-world setting.

📝 Learn more about the SEAS 101 course program through the poster below.

🍃 In picture: The fertile and verdant Bolaven Plateau of Laos, which hosts the country's main coffee plantations and tea gardens. It is also home to Laos' ethnic populations, namely the Loven, Nha Huen Sovei, and Sou of the Lao-Theung (Mon-Khmer) peoples.

📌 Don’t miss out on this experience! Signify your interest by scanning the QR code below or by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/tCwEFUxnRAziJDsw7

📧 For any inquiries and concerns, you can reach us at [email protected] or you can visit us at Room 407, 4/F Ricardo & Dr. Rosita Leong Hall.

📌The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS), in collaboration with the Department of Political Science, presents "Resilience in Political Leadership," a conversation with Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party, on 26 March 2026 (Thursday) at Room SEC C 201, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM.

🗣️ This event is open to all Ateneo students, faculty, and the general public. Kindly register by scanning the QR code below or through this link: https://forms.gle/KUvRrqSRGxELjK3J7

📢 About the speaker:
Dr. Chee Soon Juan is a prominent Singaporean political leader and Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). A longstanding advocate for democratic reform, civil liberties, and human rights, he has been a central figure in Singapore’s opposition movement for over three decades. He pursued higher education in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Science in psychology followed by a PhD, before returning home to begin an academic career as a lecturer. Since then, Dr. Chee has remained a steadfast voice for transparency, accountability, and democratic resilience in Singapore and the wider Southeast Asian region.

For more information about the speaker, you may visit his website: https://cheesoonjuan.com/

📧 For any inquiries and concerns, you can reach us at [email protected].

Experience Cambodia and Laos this Intersession Term 2026! 🇰🇭🇱🇦

This Intersession 2026, SEAS 101 invites you on an immersive academic journey to Cambodia and Laos!

The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS), in collaboration with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies, invites all undergraduate students of the Loyola Schools to step beyond the classroom and into the heart of mainland Southeast Asia. This field study offers a unique opportunity to deepen the students' understanding of Southeast Asia through site visits, guided discussions, and firsthand cultural encounters with the host countries. ✨

Ready to embark on this journey with us? Signify your interest by scanning the QR code in the picture below or by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/tCwEFUxnRAziJDsw7

📧 For any inquiries and concerns, you can reach us at [email protected] or you can visit us at Room 407, 4/F Ricardo & Dr. Rosita Leong Hall.

🌏 Ready to experience Southeast Asia beyond the classroom? Join SEAS 101: Southeast Asia In-Country Field Study in Cambodia and Laos this Intersession Term 2026! 🇰🇭🇱🇦

📚 SEAS 101 aims to introduce and enhance students' knowledge about the social, cultural, historical, political, and economic diversities in Southeast Asia, hone their research skills in field settings, and develop among them intercultural awareness and cross-cultural adaptability.

🪷 For this Intersession Term 2026, SEAS 101 takes you to the mainland Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia and Laos! Students enrolled in the program will embark on an enriching academic journey and field visits to key cultural sites, accompanied by insightful lectures, engaging interactions with locals, and immersive cultural experiences.

📌SEAS 101 (Southeast Asia In-Country Field Study) is a six-unit credit course offered by the Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS) that can be taken as electives by students taking the Minor in Southeast Asian Studies and as free electives by other Loyola Schools students across different disciplines. In collaboration with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies, the course includes two-weeks of cultural immersion and intercultural encounters with the host countries.

📝Ready to embark on this journey with us? Signify your interest by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/tCwEFUxnRAziJDsw7

💌 For any inquiries and concerns, you can reach us at [email protected] or you can visit us at Room 407, 4/F Ricardo & Dr. Rosita Leong Hall.

🪷The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS), in collaboration with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies, is cordially inviting the Ateneo community to the Philippines-Vietnam Forum and Exhibit at the Leong Hall Auditorium and Foyer on 19 November 2025, at 11:00 AM.

🗺️The said forum and exhibit will serve as the culminating activity of the Southeast Asian Studies (SEAS) 101: Southeast Asia In-Country Field Study which was conducted in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam from 29 June to 12 July 2025, during the Intersession Term 2025.

📝The Forum, guided by the theme "The Lotus Path: Exploring Vietnam’s Economic and Cultural Transformation" will have a panel discussion with His Excellency Dr Lai Thai Binh, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam of the Philippines; Dir. Anna Marie C Santos, Director for Mainland Southeast Asia Division, Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs (ASPAC) of the Department of Foreign Affairs; and, Dr Czarina Saloma-Akpedonu, Dean of the Dr Rosita G Leong School of Social Sciences.

✨This year’s exhibit follows the theme, “HARMONY IN CHAOS: Bridging Traditions and Transformations through Shared Stories of Growth and Consumption”, where SEAS 101 Class of 2025 reflect on the lessons from their Vietnam’s experiences and how they relate to the Philippines’ own experiences and prospects through the creative projects they developed as inspired by their learnings from the in-country field study.

📌To register, scan the QR code below or follow this link: bit.ly/PHVietnamFEx2025

✨See you on the other side of the Lotus Path 🪷!

🪷 Are you ready to discover what's on the end of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡?

✨The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS), in collaboration with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies, conducted its 14-day field study in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam from 29 June to 12 July 2025.

📝 In partnership with the Vietnam National University – University of Economics and Business (VNU-UEB), the Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE), and the Saigon Business School, SEAS 101 students undertook a rich learning itinerary which included educational field visits to the Ha Long, Ninh Binh, and the Mekong River.

🗺️ Now, as the various activities related to 2025 Southeast Asia In-Country Field Study to Vietnam come to an end, AISEAS is cordially inviting the Ateneo community to the culminating Philippines-Vietnam Forum at the Leong Hall Auditorium on 19 November 2025, at 11:00 AM.

🪷This year’s forum follows the theme, “The Lotus Path: Exploring Vietnam’s Economic and Cultural Transformation”, where we reflect on the lessons from Vietnam’s experiences and how they relate to the Philippines’ own experiences and prospects. In this forum, SEAS 101 students will also present the creative projects they developed through their learnings from the in-country field study.

📌If you wish to attend, kindly scan the QR code below or click this link: bit.ly/PHVietnamFEx2025

See you there!

[ANNOUNCEMENT]

The Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies would like to announce the new date for the 2025 Leong Institute Fellows Forum.

Kindly scan the QR code to register. Thank you!

The Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies would like to announce the new date for the 2025 Leong Institute Fellows Forum.

Kindly scan the QR code to register. Thank you!

CALL FOR PAPERS: SEASREP’s 30th Anniversary Conference

SEASREP's 30th Anniversary Conference
"Southeast Asian Studies: Ideas, Audiences, Approaches, and Aspirations"

13-14 November 2025
Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani, Thailand

For members of the general public who wish to attend the conference as participants only and not presenters. Here are a few reminders and some additional information for our conference to be held on 13-14 November 2025 at the Institute of East Asian Studies, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thailand.

Pre-Registration and Registration Fee

1. The registration fee for registered non-presenters are as follows:
- Members of the general public who wish to attend the panels (must pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/SEASREPPreRegistration>on or before 15 October 2025): U.S. $30 (฿1,000), which may be paid at the conference site.

2. The registration fee covers conference meals (including the welcome dinner) and the SEAS-IA3 kit.

Accommodation

3. There are several hotels and on-campus lodging choices that we can recommend. You may contact them directly for your booking. Please find them via this link:

Meals and Clothing

4. Snacks and lunch will be provided on 13-14 November at the conference site.

5. A welcome dinner will be provided on 13 November 2025

6. If you have any dietary requirements, inform us as soon as possible.

7. The dress code for the conference is business casual.

8. November is also the start of the cold season in Thailand. A light jacket would be useful.

Conference

9. The conference will be held at the Institute of East Asian Studies, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thailand on 13-14 November 2025. The conference program will be sent later on.

10. Each panel room has a computer and LCD projector for your presentation. You may, of course, bring your own laptop and adaptors if you so choose.

11. Each panel presenter has 15 minutes for his/her presentation and each panel has 15-20 minutes for the open forum. For roundtable discussions, you will be given 1 hour and 30 minutes, including the open forum for the entire session.

12. For panel presenters, please submit your presentation slides to [email protected] on or before 30 October 2025.

13. For those that want to revise their abstracts, please submit your final abstract on or before 30 September 2025.

14. The conference site has free WiFi connection.

About Rangsit Campus

15. The Rangsit Campus of Thammasat University is located at 99 Moo 18 Phahonyothin Road, Khlong Nueng, Chilling Luang District, Pathum Thani 12120.

16. It is 22 km (about 20 minutes by car) from the Don Mueang International Airport. A taxi from this airport to the campus costs no more than ฿500.

17. For those arriving at Suvarnabhumi International Airport (56 km from TU Rangsit or about 60 minutes by car, depending on traffic), the price of the taxi is less than ฿1,000.

18. The Institute of East Asian Studies is building 12 on the map .

ADDITIONAL REMINDERS

19. The Thai government requires everyone flying to Thailand to accomplish and submit a digital arrival form 3 days in advance of their arrival via . On this following link is a helpful guide .

20. Please bring a plug adapter that can connect to Thai sockets. Their sockets are plug types A, B, and C and operate on a 230V supply voltage

Inquiries
Please direct your inquiries to:

SEAS-IA3 Conference Secretariat
SEASREP Foundation
Unit 612, Residencia de Regina
94 Xavierville Avenue
Loyola Heights 1108, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel. +63-2-8709-0854
WhatsApp: +63 998 996 4476
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.seasrepfoundation.org

Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies