The Global Experience Course (GEx) Sulawesi 2026 continued its immersive learning journey by taking participants through a month-long exploration of different forms of commons, with each week dedicated to understanding how communities interact with and collectively manage shared resources. Through the overarching theme Community and the Commons, students from National University of Singapore College and Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) experienced firsthand how commons are shaped by culture, environment, livelihoods, and community struggles across South Sulawesi. This activity was held from 31 May to 27 June 2026.
The first week introduced participants to coastal commons. During this phase, participants visited Makassar’s fish auction center both in Rajawali and Paotere, Lae-Lae Island, and visited the reclamation project in the Center Point of Indonesia. In the second week, the program shifted focus to cultural commons in Bulukumba. Participants learned directly from local communities involved in the construction of the iconic Pinisi boat, gaining insight into how the centuries-old boatbuilding tradition is deeply rooted in collective cultural values and inherited knowledge systems. The journey continued to Bira Beach, where participants explored the historical development of the tourism area and visited Dego-Dego Na Bira to understand how tourism development can align with environmental conservation efforts, including coral transplantation initiatives aimed at protecting marine ecosystems.
The following week brought participants back to Makassar to examine everyday forms of commons through local economic systems. At Pasar Terong, participants were divided into seven groups representing different categories of sellers, including vegetable vendors, meat and fish sellers, thrift clothing sellers, shoe vendors, household goods sellers, fruit sellers, and spice traders. Throughout the visit, participants were accompanied by Mr Enal, a member of Pasar Terong Traders Association (SADAR) an association representing traders at Pasar Terong.
During discussions, Mr. Enal shared the challenges faced by vendors, particularly concerns over relocation and market redevelopment projects that have often failed to accommodate the real needs of traders. A four-story market building previously constructed by the government now stands largely abandoned, with only the basement and first floor still in use, as many traders have chosen to return to informal roadside selling spaces rather than occupy facilities that do not support their livelihoods.Participants also engaged in discussion with Mr. Yusran from Kedai Inklusi, learning about how the initiative was established through research-driven community empowerment programs and how grassroots approaches can create inclusive social spaces that address local community needs.
The third week brought participants to Malino, where the experience became even more dynamic as students from the Joint Field School program from University of Hawaiʻi were simultaneously conducting their own field learning activities. GEx participants were given the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in this collaborative learning experience by joining the field school activities for an entire day. Students were divided into four thematic groups: Tanah Gilirang, Diversification/Migration/Tourism, Ecology/Politics/State, and Decoloniality/Indigenity/Water. This field school experience provided particularly meaningful learning opportunities for participants, especially students from Singapore, as they directly interacted with agricultural landscapes, local farming practices, and rice cultivation systems. It created an understanding of human relationships with land and food systems.
