Yogyakarta – The Master of Social Welfare Program (MKS), Faculty of Da'wah and Communication, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, continues to strengthen its international presence through the participation of its Head of Program, Dr. Muh Ulil Absor, in the 9th WAPOR Asia Pacific Annual Conference, held in Jakarta from 27 to 29 July 2026. The international conference, themed "Public Opinion in a Fast Changing World," brought together academics, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss recent developments in public opinion research and contemporary global issues. The conference was organized by the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) Asia Pacific in collaboration with the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII), the Indonesian Association for Public Opinion Surveys (PERSEPI), and the Provincial Government of Jakarta.

During the conference, Dr. Muh Ulil Absor presented his research entitled "Socio-Religious Predictors of Religious Intolerance in Indonesia: Evidence from Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) (Preliminary Findings)" in the Religion & Ideology Tolerance & Society panel. Drawing on data from more than 31,000 respondents in the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) Wave 5, the study examined the socio-religious factors associated with religious intolerance in Indonesia. The findings revealed that social connectedness, community participation, migration experience, and internet access contribute positively to religious tolerance, while loneliness is associated with higher levels of intolerance. These findings provide valuable evidence for strengthening policies on religious moderation, social cohesion, and inclusive community development.

In addition to presenting his research, Dr. Muh Ulil Absor participated in a series of plenary and parallel sessions covering a wide range of topics, including democracy, digital media, healthcare, food security, climate change, public safety, and social well-being. These discussions offered valuable insights into the latest methodological developments in public opinion research while enriching perspectives relevant to the advancement of social welfare studies. The conference also provided opportunities to engage with scholars from leading universities and research institutions worldwide, including Stanford University, Princeton University, Nanyang Technological University, the Australian National University, and National Taiwan University, fostering meaningful academic exchange and international collaboration.

Participation in this international conference reflects the Master of Social Welfare Program's ongoing commitment to expanding global academic engagement, enhancing research excellence, and strengthening international collaboration. The conference also resulted in prospective collaborative research and scholarly publication initiatives with researchers from the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII) and the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. These achievements further reinforce the program's commitment to producing impactful, evidence-based research that contributes to public policy development and the promotion of social welfare at both the national and international levels.