The Southeast Asian Coalition on Academic Freedom (SEACAF) successfully held its first Membership Orientation virtually on July 25, 2025, gathering members, scholars and allies from across the region.
The orientation served as a space to introduce new and prospective members to SEACAF’s vision, guiding principles, core values and ongoing efforts to promote and protect academic freedom in Southeast Asia. Key discussions included identifying areas of interest for member engagement, strengthening the coalition’s monitoring and crisis response mechanisms, and most importantly exploring approaches to coalition-building at the national, regional, and global levels.
The session also provided an opportunity to reflect on shared challenges in academic spaces and to envision how SEACAF can facilitate solidarity and collective action across diverse fields and. contexts.
Participants expressed appreciation for the orientation and a shared interest in remaining actively involved. As SEACAF continues its work, this initial gathering represents a pivotal step toward strengthening collaboration and fostering a supportive, advocacy-driven, and action-oriented coalition.
