EBA Kalimantan Fieldwork 2024

The EBA Fieldwork Program is an on-site, immersive experience where participants apply the Evidence-Based Approach to real-world issues. The EBA Kalimantan Fieldwork 2024 focuses on sustainable city development in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, where rapid transformation is taking place through the development of Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara, as well as changes in tourism, migration, infrastructure, human activity, culture, and nature. Over the course of the program, learners explore how these transformations shape the meaning and practice of sustainability in the region.

Participants actively apply the EBA method in practice, by learning through field-based data collection, analysis, visualization and storytelling. Using multidisciplinary perspectives such as visual communication design, design ethnography, and life science, they investigate how human, cultural, and natural aspects are integrated into the development of a sustainable city. Through field visits, stakeholder discussions, workshops, and group work, participants examine the question of what an ideal sustainable city means and what kinds of solutions can be proposed in response to the transformation of East Kalimantan.

By completing this program, learners strengthen their ability to connect field evidence, design thinking, ecological understanding, and cultural perspectives. The experience deepens their understanding of sustainable city development, regional transformation, and evidence-based visual storytelling, preparing them to contribute meaningfully to designing resilient and sustainable future societies.

Study Requirement: 90 hours, including pre- and post-fieldwork activities

Topics Covered in This Course

Sustainable City Development: Examining the concept of an ideal sustainable city and the challenges and opportunities involved in regional development in East Kalimantan.
Transformation of Human, Culture, and Nature: Investigating how rapid development, migration, multicultural conditions, infrastructure, and environmental change transform the relationship between people, culture, and nature.
Multidisciplinary Evidence-Based Inquiry: Exploring sustainable city issues through visual communication design, design ethnography, and life science perspectives.
Locations Visited: Participants visit and engage with sites and stakeholders including around ITB campus in Jakarta, Indonesia’s new Capital City of Nusantara, BOSF Orangutan Conservation, Sungai Bawang Village, Tirtonegoro Foundation, SMAN 1 Samarinda, Samboja Lodge, Masjid Raya Balikpapan, and local communities in East Kalimantan.
Field Observations and Reflection: Participants collect field evidence, discuss research questions with local stakeholders, reflect on regional transformation, and develop visual storytelling outcomes that define and communicate sustainable city concepts for East Kalimantan.

Learning Outcomes

This course offers learners the ability to:

Apply the Evidence-Based Approach (EBA) to real-world field research challenges.
Collect, document, and analyze data using observation, discussion and field-based inquiry.
Communicate findings through reflection, discussion, and evidence-based storytelling.
Understand the current situation in East Kalimantan and the relevance of sustainability for urban development.
Interpret field evidence through multidisciplinary perspectives, including visual communication design, design ethnography, and life science.
Create visual storytelling in the form of video defining an ideal concept of sustainability for the region of East Kalimantan.
Propose possible solutions or actions in response to the transformation of East Kalimantan.

Related Courses

Introduction to EBA course
- Introduction to EBA is an online program designed to equip participants with the essentials of field research and develop an evidence-based mindset. The course introduces key skills such as fostering a research mindset, handling and analyzing data, exploring findings through visualization and interpretation, and disseminating results effectively through storytelling and visual communication.

Learn more about the EBA programs at eba.soi.asia.

Prerequisite

EBA Fieldwork participants must have completed the following programs.

Introduction to EBA course

Criteria

This badge was awarded to the learners who completed the following criteria:

Participate in pre-workshop activities in preparation for the fieldwork.
Join the fieldwork and actively participate in all field activities.
Present outcomes of the fieldwork and further developments during the final public presentation.
Successfully complete the fieldwork’s final report.