Welcome

The Southeast Asian Geography Association (SEAGA) is a scientific and educational society set up in 1990 by a group of geographers to organise the inaugural SEAGA Conference in Brunei Darussalam. Its members share interests in the theory, methods, and practice of geography and geographic education. As of February 2006, the association is formally registered with Singapore’s Registrar of Societies. 

At present, SEAGA is an organisation which does not collect subscription fees from its official members. From 1990 to 2005, Professor Goh Kim Chuan, as the President of the association, has been instrumental in exploring and prodding geography departments in the region to host the international conferences. In this respect, the response from such departments has been most encouraging. The history of SEAGA could be traced to the first International conference on Geography in the Southeast Asian region organised by the Department of Geography, Universiti Brunei Darussalam in 1990. Since then the Association has been active in encouraging as well helping to organise the SEAGA biennial conferences in countries within ASEAN. The list of conferences held and venues include:

• 1990 Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Darussalam

• 1992 University of Jogjakarta, Indonesia

• 1994 University of Malaya, Malaysia

• 1996 Chiang Mai University, Thailand

• 1998 National Institute of Education/NUS, Singapore

• 2001 Universiti Bangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia

• 2004 Khon Kaen University, Thailand

• 2006 National Institute of Education, Singapore 

• 2008 Univerisity of Philippines, Philippines

SEAGA 2008 was hosted in Quezon City, Manila by the University of Philippines. The theme was on "Transformations and Embodiments in Southeast Asian Geographies: Changing Environments, People and Cultural Groups, Institutions and Landscapes". It was attended by more than 150 delegates from over 22 countries. 16 papers in 6 Plenary sessions, more than 90 papers in 28 panel sessions, 2 workshops and 1 roundtable discussion sessions were presented. These presentations were made by Geographers, Historians, Anthropologists, Economists, and other scholars from Social Sciences, as well as policy makers, entrepreneurs and teachers.

These meetings provided a platform for researchers on any aspect of Southeast Asia, from within or outside the region to share their research findings in geography or related areas. The international character of these conferences has been unmistakable as there is strong interests from fellow geographers from many countries outside Southeast Asia. The conferences also affords an opportunity for geographers to connect with each other and through the network enhance cooperation in joint research, student fieldwork or even staff exchange. One aspect SEAGA has been encouraging is to make the conferences accessible to geography teachers in each of the host countries as well as graduate students either through their direct participation in sharing their research findings or having a complementary one-day workshop on some aspects of the teaching of topics in geography. In this way, the Association hopes to improve and revitalise the status of geography in the region.

SEAGA Updates

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SEAGA is a MEMBER OF SEAASWP Network: Southeast Asia, Austrasia and Southwest Pacific Networ