SEA Coalition for Academic Freedom

📣 One year of SEACAF marks a significant step in strengthening regional collaboration to defend academic freedom in Southeast Asia!

Over the past year, the coalition has worked with scholars, institutions, and civil society groups to monitor restrictions on research, teaching, institutional autonomy, and campus expression issues consistently highlighted in regional and global academic freedom assessments. We thank everyone who has stood with us in this shared mission to protect the freedom of critical inquiry, our fellow scholars, universities, and reclaiming our spaces across the region.

As repression continues, both within and beyond academic communities, evidenced by increasing limitations on civic space, pressures on academic institutions, and risks faced by researchers, academic workers, and students, the need for collective action becomes even more urgent.

Before 2025 ends, we invite you to look back on this first year of SEACAF, reaffirm our shared resolve, and strengthen our commitment to defending academic freedom across Southeast Asia and the global movement!

🌱 Share your SEACAF moments with us and tag our socials—your stories, photos, reflections, and solidarity which will also help grow this movement and inspire others to join.

When we protect the freedom to seek truth and the power of education to foster understanding, we protect human dignity itself.

SEACAF stands in solidarity as we commemorate and celebrate this International Human Rights Day!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: YOUTH RISING WORKSHOP 2025

In 2023, youth aged 15–35 comprised approximately 32.1% of Southeast Asia’s total population equating to over 213 million individuals. This demographic represents a significant force in shaping the region’s future. In a time of shrinking civic space and mounting challenges to academic freedom, young people across Southeast Asia are rising — asserting their voices, organizing across borders, and demanding the right to think, learn, and speak freely.

As such, UNDP (2021) emphasizes that including youth in visioning exercises affirms their right to shape their own lives and communities. While youth are often on the frontlines of mobilizations and actions, they are rarely centered in regional academic freedom conversations. Yet, young people — especially students — are key actors within academic communities. They experience the daily impacts of repression in classrooms and campuses, while also holding the energy, imagination, and cross-sector reach to build movements and reshape educational spaces from the ground up.

This fellowship and workshop culminated last November 1, 2025 recognized youth not as passive recipients of education policy, but as organizers, cultural workers, and visionaries. It seeks to build their capacity, establish regional solidarity, and contribute to a long-term youth-led response to authoritarianism, inequality, and injustice in Southeast Asian education systems.

At the same time, sustainable movements for academic freedom require intergenerational dialogue and multi-stakeholder solidarity. Young people must be able to engage with educators, researchers, civil society actors, and policy advocates to bridge perspectives, co-create strategies, and collectively uphold the right to education and free inquiry. The camp/fellowship program supports this ecosystem by empowering youth to participate in cross-cutting conversations and alliances — a form of engaged scholarship.

📣 WE ARE HIRING!

PROGRAMME MANAGER/ PROJECT COORDINATOR
South-East Asia Coalition for Academic Freedom & PNMD / Panna Vidhi Foundation

📍 Location: The Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University

The Programme Manager / Project Coordinator is a shared role between the Southeast Asian Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEACAF) and the Panna Vidhi Foundation, hosted by the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University. The Programme Manager /Project Coordinator will support management in the design, planning, coordination and implementation of key activities of both programmes with main responsibilities for activities executed in Thailand.

Qualifications:
🌱 Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field
🌱 At least 5 years of experience in program management or project coordination, familiarity with programme cycle management, budget monitoring and reporting for development partners and other donors
🌱 Excellent Microsoft Office skills
🌱 Strong communication skills and sound collaborative abilities to work in teams
🌱 Fluency in English and Thai required
🌱 Thai national post
🌱 Respect for diversity and commitment to human rights principles

TO APPLY: Send a cover letter and CV to [email protected] with the email subject line “[Surname] – Application for Programme Manager / Project Coordinator”
🔴 Deadline: 15 December 2025

Read more here: https://bit.ly/SEACAFProgrammeManager

The 1st Southeast Asian Regional Conference on Academic Freedom (English below)
การประชุมระดับภูมิภาคเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ครั้งแรกว่าด้วยเสรีภาพทางวิชาการ

เมื่อสัปดาห์ที่ผ่านมา การประชุมระดับภูมิภาคเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ครั้งแรกว่าด้วยเสรีภาพทางวิชาการได้จัดขึ้นที่มหาวิทยาลัยมหิดล การประชุมนี้จัดโดยเครือข่าย Southeast Asia Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEACAF) และ Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in ASEAN/Southeast Asia (SHAPE-SEA) ซึ่งทั้งสององค์กรอยู่ภายใต้การดูแลของสถาบันสิทธิมนุษยชนและสันติศึกษา มหาวิทยาลัยมหิดล ซึ่งได้รับการสนับสนุนจากรัฐบาลสวีเดน

ผู้เข้าร่วมได้แก่นักศึกษาและนักวิชาการจากประเทศไทย ฟิลิปปินส์ อินโดนีเซีย มาเลเซีย เวียดนาม กัมพูชา และเมียนมา หลายคนได้รับการสนับสนุนภายใต้ความร่วมมือด้านการวิจัยระดับภูมิภาค ในวันงานผู้เข้าร่วมได้มีการนำเสนอผลงานวิจัยด้านเสรีภาพทางวิชาการภายใต้บริบทประเทศของตน

ทั้งนี้ นักวิชาการทั่วภูมิภาคกำลังเผชิญกับข้อจำกัดที่เพิ่มมากขึ้นในการวิพากษ์วิจารณ์เชิงวิชาการ หลายคนต้องเผชิญกับการควบคุม ข่มขู่ และการเซ็นเซอร์เมื่อทำข้อหัวข้องานวิจัยที่เกี่ยวกับประเด็นผู้มีอำนาจในสังคม สวีเดนจึงเห็นความสำคัญในการสนับสนุนการประชุมครั้งนี้ เพื่อส่งเสริมเสรีภาพทางวิชาการ ความเป็นอิสระ และเพื่อให้มหาวิทยาลัยเป็นพื้นที่แห่งการคิดวิเคราะห์ การตั้งคำถาม รวมถึงแสดงความเห็นต่างอย่างสร้างสรรค์

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Last week, the first Southeast Asian regional conference on Academic Freedom took place at Mahidol University in Thailand – a conference supported by Sweden. The conference was organized by the SEA Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEACAF) and Shape-SEA and hosted by the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Mahidol University.

Students and scholars from Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, many of whom have got support from Sweden under our regional research cooperation, presented their research on the status of academic freedom in their countries.

Academics across the region has been increasingly challenged by limitations to criticize political and corporate power. Many academics and scholars are witnessing more suppression, intimidation and censorship when investigating people in power. Sweden promotes academic freedom, integrity, autonomy, and to reaffirm Universities as spaces for critical thought, open inquiry, and debate.

Sida - Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete

📷credits: Mahidol University

✨ Reclaiming the Space: First Southeast Asia Regional Conference on Academic Freedom successfully concluded last November 3–4, 2025

In her opening remarks, Dr. Bencharat Sae Chua, Director of SEACAF, emphasized that the gathering was not merely an academic event but a necessary space for reflection, inquiry, and solidarity amid shrinking democratic and intellectual spaces across the region. She stressed that education must do more than train individuals for the economy, rather it must cultivate critical, justice-oriented citizens who question oppression and work toward social change.

During the keynote on Myanmar, Pyoe Saung shared how academic freedom in the country has long been suppressed, with a brief period of openness from 2010 to 2020 dismantled by the 2021 coup. He described how the Civil Disobedience Movement was led by teachers and students who refused to return to junta-controlled schools, even at the cost of harassment, displacement, and death. As traditional campuses were closed or destroyed, new learning spaces emerged. Virtual campuses facilitated online knowledge-sharing, banned literature circulation, and student-led efforts to challenge propaganda. Community campuses allowed education to be directly applied in the field, with medical students running clinics, law students documenting war crimes, and engineering students supporting resistance networks. In liberated territories, schools began teaching inclusive and federal-oriented curricula, envisioning a future beyond authoritarian rule. He emphasized that young people, once dismissed as apolitical or passive, have shown remarkable courage and creativity under repression. Their struggle demonstrates how experiencing limited freedom can sharpen one’s awareness of its value.

The conference then moved into the first plenary session, “Tightening Spaces: Mapping Academic Freedom Across Southeast Asia.” The panel brought together scholars and advocates working on the frontlines of academic freedom across the region. Speakers included Dr. Chomkate Ngamkaiwan (IHRP, Thailand), Satria Unggul Wicaksana Prakasa (KIKA, Indonesia), Assoc. Prof. Khoo Ying Hooi (Universiti Malaya, Malaysia), Celso da Fonseca (National University of Timor-Leste / IHRP), and Sabae Khine (Pyin-Nya-Man-Daing Programme, Myanmar). The session offered a compelling picture of how academic freedom is being contested, restricted, and defended across Southeast Asia. Each speaker shared different national experiences, ranging from student movements, institutional pressures, surveillance, and exile, while also highlighting the power of cross-border solidarity and regional collaboration in reclaiming intellectual and democratic spaces.

Where knowledge and truth defy fear, we collectively reclaim the space!

RECLAIMING THE SPACE [NOVEMBER 3-4, 2025]
Plenary 2: Agency and Action: Paths to Reclaiming Spaces for Academic Freedom in Southeast Asia

🌱 Read more of the conference agenda at: https://seacaf.org/regionalconference/
🌐 Register at: http://bit.ly/3W2AZqp

Despite shrinking spaces, academics, students, and civil society actors continue to carve out ways to assert their voices and reclaim their agency. Resistance can take many forms—creative teaching strategies, solidarity networks, grassroots organizing, or advocacy campaigns that defend the right to learn, teach, and question freely. These efforts demonstrate that academic freedom, while under attack, remains alive through collective courage and innovation.

Plenary Discussants:

1. Seree Nonthasoot, Member of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
2. Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, Africa Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF) (online)
3. Atty. Renee Co, Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
4. Mr. Jack Mayerhofer, Scholars at Risk
5. Dr. Vachararutai Boontinand, Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies | Executive Director, Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Education and Research in Southeast Asia and Convener, ASEAN University Network, Human Rights Education

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Khoo Ying Hooi, International Relations and Human Rights, Universiti Malaya

Conference details below:
📅 3–4 November 2025
📍 Prince Mahidol Hall Conference Center, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus
🏛️ Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
📧 Inquiries: [email protected] // https://seacaf.org/regionalconference/

This conference is supported by the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University and plenary sessions are co-hosted by Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Education in Southeast Asia/ASEAN (SHAPE-SEA).

RECLAIMING THE SPACE [NOVEMBER 3-4, 2025]
Plenary 1: Tightening Spaces: Mapping Academic Freedom Across Southeast Asia
🌱 Read more of the conference agenda at: https://seacaf.org/regionalconference/
🌐 Register at: http://bit.ly/3W2AZqp

Across Southeast Asia, the spaces for academic freedom and critical inquiry are increasingly coming under pressure. From restrictive laws and policies to subtle forms of surveillance and intimidation, universities and scholars are finding it more difficult to freely exchange ideas, conduct research, and engage in meaningful debates. These pressures not only silence academic voices but also weaken the role of higher education as a vital pillar of democratic society.

This plenary will map the current state of academic freedom across the region, highlighting shared challenges and contextual differences. By examining patterns of restriction, attacks, and resilience, the session provides a regional overview that situates local struggles within broader trends. The discussion sets the stage for deeper exploration of how academic communities can respond to and resist these tightening spaces.

Plenary Discussants:
1. Dr. Chomkate Ngamkaiwan, Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies
2. Satria Unggul Wicaksana Prakasa, SH.,MH, The Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom (KIKA); Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya
3. Assoc. Prof. Khoo Ying Hooi, Universiti Malaya
4. Celso da Fonseca, National University of Timor Leste
5. Sabae Khine, Pyin-Nya-Man-Daing (PNMD) Programme
Moderator: Dr. Bencharat Sae Chua, Director of SEA Coalition for Academic Freedom, Lecturer at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies

Conference details below:
📅 3–4 November 2025
📍 Prince Mahidol Hall Conference Center, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus
🏛️ Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
📧 Inquiries: [email protected] // https://seacaf.org/regionalconference/

This conference is supported by the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University and plenary sessions are co-hosted by Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Education in Southeast Asia/ASEAN (SHAPE-SEA).

RECLAIMING THE SPACE [NOVEMBER 3-4, 2025]

🌱 Read more of the conference agenda at: https://seacaf.org/regionalconference/
🌐 Register at: http://bit.ly/3W2AZqp

This year’s first Southeast Asia Regional Conference on Academic Freedom titled "Reclaiming the Space" brings together scholar-practitioners, youth leaders, researchers and advocates from across the region to examine the state of academic freedom and share collective efforts to resist repression and rebuild spaces for critical inquiry, creativity, and dissent.

Join us for two days of plenary discussions and exchanges that highlight both the challenges and the courage shaping our academic communities today. Whether you are an educator, researcher, student, or civil society actor, your participation strengthens a regional movement committed to safeguarding knowledge, truth, and democratic values in Southeast Asia.

Conference details below:
📅 3–4 November 2025
📍 Prince Mahidol Hall Conference Center, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus
🏛️ Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
📧 Inquiries: [email protected]

This conference is supported by the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University and plenary sessions are co-hosted by Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Education in Southeast Asia/ASEAN (SHAPE-SEA).

RECLAIMING THE SPACE | The First Southeast Asia Regional Conference on Academic Freedom

🌐 Register at: http://bit.ly/3W2AZqp
🌱 Read more about the conference agenda at: https://seacaf.org/regionalconference/

Meet our “Reclaiming the Space” keynote speaker:
Mr. Pyae Sone Maung Maung
Co-founder, Irrawaddy Law School

A dedicated law student and activist from Myanmar, Pyae Sone Maung Maung specialized in international and constitutional law during his undergraduate studies. Since 2015, he has been actively engaged in civil society through various student- and youth-led organizations. Building on this experience, he co-founded the Irrawaddy Law School in 2021 with fellow colleagues and professors to address the urgent need for legal education in conflict-affected areas. He currently works in the legal education sector, focusing on raising legal awareness across the country.

Conference details:
📅 3–4 November 2025
📍 Prince Mahidol Hall Conference Center, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus
🏛️ Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
📧 Inquiries: [email protected]

SEACAF Coalition Member and ACT Philippines Vice Chairperson, Carl Marc Ramota joined the International Conference on Academic Freedom organized by the UK’s University and College Union (UCU) and Education International.

He spoke at a plenary session on state repression and political interference in higher education, alongside UCU President Maria Chondrogianni, Todd Wolfson of the American Federation of Teachers, and Evrim Gülez of Eğitim-Sen in Türkiye.

During the event, he also met and exchanged insights with colleagues from Education International, UCU – University and College Union, the Kenya Universities Academic Staff Union, the Norwegian Association of Researchers, and the American Federation of Teachers.

We look forward to seeing everyone again at the next Education International gathering, where SEACAF and its members can share its work in the region and continue standing in solidarity to defend academic freedom worldwide.