ASEAN is increasingly interconnected through trade, education, mobility, and regional cooperation. At the same time, many important issues relating to borders, maritime governance, regional law, and cooperation remain insufficiently understood by younger generations.
To help address this gap,I have initiated a volunteer-based academic outreach program titled Talking Borders in a Borderless ASEAN (TBBA). TBBA is designed as a public education and youth engagement initiative introducing students and young professionals across ASEAN to issues such as borders and regional connectivity, maritime boundaries, ocean governance, ASEAN cooperation, international law (especially UNCLOS), peaceful dispute management, and the role of geography, diplomacy, and technology in regional cooperation. Being the largest country in ASEAN, Indonesia will be showcased as an example where complex issues regarding ocean affairs and the law of the sea have been taken care of with specific approaches.
My ambition is delivering online lectures in every single country in ASEAN on ocean affairs and the law of the sea, especially maritime boundary issues. The lectures are done online using zoom platform.
I serve as the main instructor for the program. I am a surveyor/engineer by training with extensive further study and research in law of the sea. my expertise combines technical and legal aspects of the law of the sea, making my delivery is friendly to various audiences.
The program is purely academic, educational, and networking-oriented, with no political agenda. TBBA has already been implemented successfully through 2-hour online lectures in several pilot activities.
Indonesia:
- Session at Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia
- Topic included maritime zones and the contiguous zone under UNCLOS
- Strong student participation and extended discussion
Cambodia:
- Multi-campus online session involving several universities
- Approximately 100 participants
- Positive feedback and strong interest from students
Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS):
- Hybrid academic session on ASEAN and regional connectivity
- Student participation with positive institutional response
Timor Leste:
- In collaboration with Universitas Nusa Cendana in Kupang, Indonesia
- Attended by students from several institutions
- Positive feedback and possibly extended/repeated
These experiences demonstrate that TBBA is practical, scalable, and relevant for ASEAN youth. Your institution might be next! Please contact me!