Unsoed Rector stresses global collaboration to tackle challenges in law and AI
Purwokerto (ANTARA) — The Acting Rector of Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed) Purwokerto, Prof Ali Rokhman, has stressed the importance of global collaboration in confronting various challenges in the fields of law, governance and artificial intelligence (AI).
“Unsoed continues to develop international cooperation through academic conferences that bring together academics from many countries,” he said at the opening of The 4th International Conference on Law, Governance and Social Justice (ICOLGAS) 2026 in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Tuesday.
He said Unsoed had established partnerships with around 50 international institutions in more than 20 countries through various programmes, including international classes, overseas study programmes, and joint research and teaching.
In connection with this, he expressed hope that the fourth edition of ICOLGAS could serve as a forum for critical and constructive exchanges of ideas in discussing issues of law, governance and social justice.
“Hopefully this forum will make a meaningful contribution to resolving complex problems in the fields of law, governance and social justice, both at the national and global levels,” said Prof Ali.
Meanwhile, the Dean of Unsoed’s Faculty of Law, Prof Riris Ardhanariswari, said internationalisation opens up space for academics from various countries to exchange knowledge, perspectives and experiences.
She said the fourth ICOLGAS carries the theme “Governing the Future to Global Wisdom, Law, AI, and Community in the Developmental Baseline for the Sustainable Development Goals”.
According to her, developments in AI offer opportunities to improve public services, expand access, support environmental management and assist governance processes.
However, she said, the technology also raises issues concerning rights, accountability, transparency, inequality and human rights.
She noted that local wisdom remains important because communities possess generations of inherited knowledge in managing natural resources, adapting to the environment and strengthening social resilience.
Prof Riris expressed hope that the conference would produce productive discussions, exchanges of ideas and collaborations that can develop to answer future challenges in law and governance.
In a separate statement, the Chair of the ICOLGAS 2026 Organising Committee, who is also Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at Unsoed’s Faculty of Law, Prof Aryuni Yuliantiningsih, said the conference addresses four sub-themes: legal policy and governance for achieving the sustainable development goals; ecosystem resilience and climate change adaptation; AI and governance in environmental systems and digital data management; and other relevant legal issues.
The hybrid international conference was attended by more than 200 participants from five countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Australia and Japan — with 120 papers presented.
Among the speakers at the conference were Dr Petra Mahy of The University of Melbourne, Assoc Prof Hazmi Rusli of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Prof Miyuki Tsuyuki of Teikyo University Japan, Prof Dr Tedi Sudrajat of Unsoed, Dr Parulian Paidi Aritonang of the University of Indonesia, and Prof Dr Maskun of Hasanuddin University.