The Master’s Program in Social Welfare (MKS), Faculty of Da’wah and Communication, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, welcomed two academics from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Evi Nurvidya Arifin, Senior Assistant Professor at the Centre for Advanced Research (CARe), and Prof. Aris Ananta, Visiting Professor at the Centre for Advanced Research, Universiti Brunei Darussalam. The Visiting Professor session was held on Monday, August 24, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Meeting Room on the second floor of the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication. The meeting focused particularly on the well-being of older persons and the challenges of developing policies that ensure older people can live dignified and fulfilling lives. The event was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication and MKS lecturer, Prof. Arif Maftuhin, along with MKS lecturers Ro’fah, Ph.D., Muh. Ulil Absor, Ph.D., Head of the MKS Program, Dr. Aryan Torrido, and Muh. Izzul Haq, Ph.D. The visit provided an opportunity for the MKS Program to broaden academic discussions on demographic change, population ageing, social protection systems, and the roles of families and governments in ensuring the well-being of older persons.

During the session, the two speakers discussed the welfare conditions of older persons in Brunei Darussalam, which are supported by a relatively comprehensive national social security system. Although low-income groups still exist, various basic needs of the population, including those of older persons, receive substantial support from the state. One form of support is the provision of financial incentives to children or family members who assist in caring for older persons. This policy demonstrates the government’s efforts to strengthen the role of families while also providing economic support to those who undertake caregiving responsibilities for older family members.

Healthcare was another important aspect of the discussion on the well-being of older persons in Brunei Darussalam. The government provides free access to healthcare services, including for older people who require medical treatment. When certain medical services are not available domestically, residents may also receive support to access treatment in Singapore. This demonstrates how the state places access to healthcare at the centre of efforts to maintain the quality of life of older persons, particularly as their healthcare and care needs become increasingly complex with age.

The discussion also explored how governments should design policies to enable older persons to live healthy, independent, decent, and dignified lives. The speakers emphasized that policies for older persons should not focus solely on economic assistance or healthcare services, but should also recognize older people as important members of families and communities. In the Indonesian context, MKS lecturers shared perspectives on welfare practices rooted in local wisdom, particularly the role of families, communities, and social networks in supporting older persons. Such approaches were considered highly relevant because they are closely connected to people’s everyday lives and can complement the role of the state in promoting the well-being of older persons.

The Visiting Professor session also provided an opportunity to explore potential collaboration between the MKS Program and Universiti Brunei Darussalam in several areas, including research on ageing and social welfare, scholarship opportunities for lecturers, and student exchange or study opportunities in Brunei Darussalam. The meeting is expected to serve as an initial step toward broader academic collaboration in advancing research on population ageing and the well-being of older persons in Southeast Asia. Through the exchange of experiences between Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, the MKS Program seeks to strengthen its regional perspective in developing approaches to older persons’ welfare that are responsive to demographic changes while continuing to recognize the important roles of families and local wisdom.