Category: EBA

From July 6th to July 12th, 2025, SOI Asia’s EBA (Evidence Based Approach) project conducted a fieldwork program in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, hosted by Syiah Kuala University (USK).

16 students from the host and partner universities (UNHAS, ITB, USK, UNSRAT, Keio, UM, UCSM, UCSY, BUET, UPD, HUST and VNU-VJU) visited several locations in Banda Aceh learning with the EBA method, in order to explore the following issues:

Issues explored in this fieldwork:

• Preservation Challenges of Physical Artifacts: Physical artifacts in the Asia-Pacific often require on-site preservation, making relocation and study difficult. Their undocumented state and need for local safeguarding create logistical barriers to long-term protection.
• Threat of Neglect: Environmental damage and climate change pose serious risks to poorly maintained artifacts. With many in critical condition, proactive preservation is vital to prevent irreversible cultural loss.
• Need for Awareness: Lack of public and academic attention threatens the heritage of underserved regions. Increasing visibility and accessibility of information is key to building support and collaboration.
• Sustainability and Heritage Preservation: Digital preservation offers a sustainable solution for protecting and sharing cultural artifacts, enhancing access for research, education, and public engagement.

Learn more about this program: https://eba.soi.asia/portfolio/usk-2025/

On May 15th and 16th, 2025, the second EBA Faculty Meeting and first International EBA Symposium were held at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.

In the EBA Faculty Meeting that took place on May 15th and the morning of May 16th, a total of 32 participants from 18 universities and institutions gathered to share recent project outcomes, explore opportunities for more extensive collaboration, and discuss the ongoing development of the EBA Project.

On the afternoon of May 16th, the International EBA Symposium brought the EBA learning experience closer to the wider audience at Chulalongkorn University. The symposium featured an EBA program overview, a participant’s firsthand account, a faculty panel on building a resilient future, and an interactive audience activity.

For more details about this event, visit the EBA website.
EBA Faculty Meeting 2025: https://eba.soi.asia/portfolio/faculty-meeting-2025/
EBA Website: https://eba.soi.asia/

From August 1 to August 7, 2024, SOI Asia’s EBA (Evidence-Based Approach) project conducted a fieldwork program in Minamata city, Kumamoto prefecture, hosted by Keio University.

13 students from the partner universities (BUET, UB, UNHAS, USK, UNSRAT, Keio, UM, USM, UPD and HUST) visited several locations in Minamata city to learn the EBA method, in order to explore the following questions:

Questions explored in this fieldwork:

• In the digital era, how can we revitalize Minamata City? Provide proposals considering the current situation in Minamata City.
• How could the Minamata disease incident have been avoided if modern technology had been available? What should we do now to apply the lessons learned?

Know more about this program: https://eba.soi.asia/portfolio/minamata-2024/

From June 28 to July 6, 2024, SOI Asia’s EBA (Evidence-Based Approach) project conducted a fieldwork program in East Kalimantan, hosted by Institut Teknologi Bandung.

12 students from the partner universities (ITB, UB, UNHAS, USK, Keio, UM, BUET and CHULA) visited several locations in the East Kalimantan region to learn the EBA method, in order to observed how the aspects of human, culture, and nature are integrated in the development of a sustainable city.

Questions explored in this fieldwork:

• What is the definition of an ideal sustainable city?
• How the rapid and massive development of the region, coupled with multicultural conditions transform the aspect of nature, human, and culture in its surrounding?
• What could we do, relating to our major, to respond to this transformation?
• What solution could we make/suggest regarding the transformation?

Know more about this program: https://eba.soi.asia/portfolio/kalimantan2024/

On November 23rd and 24th, 2023, the first Faculty Meeting for SOI Asia’s EBA Project was conducted at Keio University, Japan. 

EBA Project develops educational programs focused on evidence-based approaches as a part of SOI Asia’s mission to design a resilient future society in the Asia Pacific region. The multicultural and multidisciplinary environment that EBA offers, enables students to better understand the emerging issues in the region from multiple perspectives and collaborate with diverse peers to propose their solutions to society.

28 participants from 17 universities and institutions gathered to discuss opportunities for more extensive collaboration and continued improvement of the EBA Project. The topics of discussion include curriculum design, operational schemes, and community building among faculties and EBA alumni.

The gathering focused on intensifying the collaboration between partner universities in building and conducting a fieldwork-centric curriculum. This curriculum aims to cultivate a range of skills in technology, social interaction, and research, essential for practical fieldwork and effective teamwork. The faculty meeting highlighted the crucial role of intensive communication among faculties for synchronising educational efforts, sharing best practices, and ensuring that the curriculum remains dynamic and responsive to the evolving challenges in the Asia Pacific region. 

The meeting concluded with the commitment of all participating faculty members to strengthening inter-faculty collaboration by prioritizing open, ongoing dialogue and continued efforts for knowledge exchange.

EBA conducts Hokkaido Fieldwork on Indigenous Communities, Environmental Challenges, and Diversity and Inclusion

From October 17 to 26, SOI Asia’s EBA (Evidence-Based Approach) project conducted a fieldwork program in Hokkaido, Japan, hosted by Keio University. This time, the program was designed in collaboration with  Keio Museum Commons (KeMCo).

In total, 18 participants including faculty members from Cambodia (ITC), Indonesia (UB, UNHAS, ITB, USK, UNESCO Jakarta), Malaysia (UM, USM), Nepal (IOE-TU), Vietnam (HUST), and Japan (KEIO) visited various locations in Tomakomai city, Shiraoi town, as well as Sapporo city in Hokkaido.

• Visited locations
  • Idemitsu Kosan Co,.Ltd. Hokkaido Refinery
  • Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park
  • Regional Restaurant Grandma in Shiraoi Town
  • Hokkaido University (The Hokkaido University Museum, etc.)

Throughout the fieldwork, participants engaged with indigenous communities, developing awareness of their traditions and rights, investigated the region’s pressing environmental challenges, and explored the social aspects crucial for diversity and inclusion. By immersing themselves in the local cultures, the participants gained significant insights into sustainability and cultural preservation, seeing parallels that reflected their own culture and environmental approaches. This mutual reflection fostered a deep understanding among each participant,  stressing the significance of addressing these multifaceted challenges not only for ourselves, but also for future generations.

After conducting the fieldwork in Hokkaido, they had the opportunity to express their findings through an exhibition and oral-style presentations, showcasing their findings at KeMCo. This presentation phase allowed participants to share their acquired knowledge, as well as to initiate critical dialogues with a broader audience within the project.

Know more about this program: https://eba.soi.asia/portfolio/hokkaido2023/

From July 28 to August 5, 2023, SOI Asia’s EBA (Evidence-Based Approach) project conducted a fieldwork program in Minamata city, Kumamoto prefecture, hosted by Keio University.

15 participants from the partner universities (UB, UNHAS, ITB, UNSRAT, USK, Keio, UM, USM, and IOE-TU) visited several locations in Minamata city to learn the EBA method in order to explore the question.

Questions explored in this fieldwork:

• In the digital era, how can we revitalize Minamata City? Provide proposals considering the current situation in Minamata City. or,
• How could the Minamata disease incident have been avoided if modern technology had been available? What should we do now to apply the lessons learned?

Know more about this program: https://eba.soi.asia/portfolio/minamata-2023/

From February 20 to March 1, SOI Asia’s EBA (Evidence-Based Approach) project conducted a fieldwork program in Kumamoto prefecture, hosted by Keio University.

12 participants from the partner universities (UB, UNHAS, USK, Keio, UM, USM) visited several locations in Kumamoto and Minamata city to understand the experiences of local communities with natural/man-made disasters, and how they have been tackling the effects towards building a disaster-resilient society. Participants proposed contributions to disaster management and relief back in their countries.

Know more about this program: https://eba.soi.asia/portfolio/kumamoto-2023/

#datacollection, #disastermanagement policies, #sdgs, #ict, #virtualreality fieldwork