Think Tanks - , Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia
As a regional organization, ASEAN has shown a significant role in maintaining regional stability and increasing free market economic cooperation along with the development of regionalism in Southeast Asia.Indeed, this achievement has made ASEAN a prestigious and credible regional organization in Asia for more than forty years. However, it is undeniable that even today, there is still a huge gaps between elite and mass perceptions of ASEAN itself, and growing concerns about ASEAN's capability to improve regional security in the future, especially along with the rising tensions in the South China Sea.Responding to this situation, and as part of an effort to promote the spirit of ASEAN-oriented and people-centered, the Directorate General of ASEAN Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affair of the Republic of Indonesia in collaboration with the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the Universitas Gadjah Mada established ASEAN Studies Center Universitas Gadjah Mada as a multi-disciplinary research institution.The Center is responsible to provide critical and objective assessments on various prominent issues surrounding ASEAN, as well as institutional arrangements to strengthen ASEAN's role in the three pillars of political-security, economic and socio-cultural, for the benefit of sciences development and policy formulation in Indonesia.The tagline of "Bringing ASEAN Closer to you" is the Center's endeavor to bridge the ideas, spirits and programs of ASEAN to be people-centered. In line with the Tri Dharma Principles which comprises of three areas: Teaching, Research and Community Service, Our programs are not only focuses on strengthening the research and scientific assessment but also disseminating information through range of events such as seminars, workshops, training and intensive discussions involving academics, and the experts from government and non-government sectors.