International Seminar Impacts & Challenges of Decentralization Policy towards Democratization and Development

Terms of References

International Seminar

Impacts & Challenges of Decentralization Policy

towards Democratization and Development

(A Comparative Perspective between Thailand and Indonesia)

A. Problem Setting

Decentralization – as a policy to arrange a mutual relation between central and local government – is a must, when the developed political system is based on a democratic structure and system. Decentralization is a must, since so many demands of local communities and governments come into surface, trying to actualize their interests toward national polity. Moreover, decentralization considered as a must, since without decentralization, public participation within policy making  process inside local governments  comes into a very minimal level. Thus, it was understandable when decentralization discourse comes into being side by side with political system reform after the fall of Soeharto.

In Indonesia, the decentralization policy brings a positive and negative impact respectively, as well as in Thailand. In positive ways, many public policies are able to be arranged according to a bottom-up approach when the previous approach is merely top-down in a national policy making process. Diversity becomes a fully considered factor in those countries, over uniformity.

Nevertheless, decentralization is not a panacea of all local development and democracy problems. In many ways, autonomy as a logical consequences of decentralization policy have not bring welfare and welth for majority of Indonesian people yet. There are still unfinished problem in this decentralization era anyway. Poverty, is not reduced significantly yet since the implementation of decentralization policy. Even, many problems breed from the policy itself. Corruption, is one of many problems that still exist and sometimes even getting stronger while the local authorities holding enormous power in their hands, along the development discrepancies between regions.

As an academic effort to explore the impacts of decentralization agendas and challenges that would be faced by both countries, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta in cooperation with Thamasat University intending to hold an international seminar. The theme of the international joint seminar is Impacts and Challenges of Decentralization Policy towards Democratization and Development. The seminar is highly intended to give an academic contribution both to the study of decentralization and democracy in Indonesia as well in Thailand context as an effort to build a better development agendas and public services, welcoming the MDG’s agenda.

B. Goals

1. To increase intenational academic experience for both Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta and Thamasat University academic staffs.

2. To give academic contribution toward study on democracy and decentralization.

3. To establish an institutional cooperation between both universities.

C. Agenda and Themes of International Joint Seminar

1. Accessing regulation of Decentralization Policy:  Indonesia & Thailand Perspective
2. Implementation of Decentralization Policy: Indonesia & Thailand Perspective
3. Impact of Decentralization towards Public Services: Indonesia & Thailand Perspective.

D.Time and Place of Occassion

Thamasat University, Bangkok, 30 March 2010

E. Participants

Academic  Staffs of Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta & Thamasat University, Thailand and other academics community.

F. Costing Contribution

Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, General Directorate of High Education of Department of National Education of Indonesia, and Thammasat University

Independent presenters who prensenting their papers have to pay for handling fee, i.e.

1. Presenter fee 450 US $ including trans cost, meal and accomodation in Bangkok
2. Collection paper/handling fee 80 US $ or Rp. 800.000

G. Contact person

Achmad Nurmandi +628122718403 or  Tunjung Sulaksono +628122965861