AKSIOMA.CO.ID — Ichsan Budiman Wantogia, Assistant III for General Administration and Finance at the Regional Secretariat of Bone Bolango Regency and Acting Head of the Regency’s Communication and Informatics Office, has received the Young Scholars Award 2026 alongside a research team from Universitas Negeri Gorontalo (UNG) at the IAPA Annual Conference 2026 and ICPSH FISIP Unsoed 2026, held in Purwokerto, Central Java, on October 21–23, 2026.
The award recognizes the team’s research entitled “Social Conflict Resolution in Gold Mining from a Collaborative Governance Perspective: A Study in the PT Gorontalo Minerals Concession Area in Bone Bolango Regency.” The study examines approaches to resolving social conflicts associated with gold mining activities in the PT Gorontalo Minerals concession area, highlighting the importance of collaborative governance in addressing complex development challenges.
Ichsan collaborated on the research with Rauf A. Hatu, Yanti Aneta, and Udin Hamim. All four researchers are affiliated with Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, as stated on the award certificate.
The award was presented as part of the joint academic events, IAPA Annual Conference 2026 and ICPSH FISIP Unsoed 2026, which brought together academic perspectives on governance, society, and contemporary development challenges.
This year’s conference adopted the theme “Navigating Transitions: Governance, Society, and Global Connectivity in the Ages of Digital Transformation,” focusing on the evolving relationship between public governance, society, and global connectivity amid digital transformation.
Research Addressing Local Development Challenges
The team’s research focuses on an issue of direct relevance to Bone Bolango Regency: how social conflicts surrounding gold mining can be understood and addressed through collaboration among key stakeholders.
From a collaborative governance perspective, effective conflict resolution involves communication, coordination, dialogue, and meaningful participation among government institutions, mining companies, and communities affected by mining operations.
This approach emphasizes that regional development requires more than economic considerations alone. Social interests, community participation, and constructive relationships among stakeholders are also essential to understanding the broader implications of mining activities.
For Ichsan, the research provides an opportunity to connect academic inquiry with practical experience in local government administration. It also brings an evidence-oriented perspective to the challenges of managing development and social dynamics in Bone Bolango.
Recognition for Research with Regional Relevance
The Young Scholars Award 2026 marks an important achievement for the UNG research team, recognizing its contribution to academic discussion on social conflict resolution in the mining sector.
By examining a real-world issue in Bone Bolango, the study brings a regional development challenge into a wider academic forum and contributes to discussions on governance approaches that take account of economic, social, and community interests.
The research is expected to enrich academic references on mining-related social conflict and provide further perspectives for understanding the challenges of sustainable and inclusive regional development.
