Ahmad Rizky M. Umar

Dr. Ahmad Rizky M. Umar is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow at the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, where he conducts research on transregionalism, Indonesia’s foreign policy, and the evolving global order. He holds a PhD from the University of Queensland, an MSc from the University of Sheffield, and a Bachelor’s from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Prior to joining Aberystwyth, he taught at the University of Queensland and Griffith University (2022–2024).

His academic expertise lies in International Relations, particularly focusing on transregional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Indonesia’s role in global politics, and the historical construction of 'Asia' in world politics. He is currently leading the TransRWP project, funded by Horizon Europe via the UKRI Guarantee, which analyzes transregional initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the Quad. He is also finalizing a book on the history of the idea of Asia, under advanced contract with a U.S. publisher.

Dr. Umar’s recent publications span high-impact journals such as International Affairs, Alternatives, and The International Journal, covering topics including ontological security in Southeast Asia, decolonization, and Indonesia’s evolving foreign policy. His work reflects a strong interdisciplinary approach, bridging political theory, history, and policy analysis.

• Marie-Curie Sklodowska Postdoctoral Fellowship (2024)
• ASAA Postdoctoral Writing Grant (2023)
• Best Paper Award, ISA English School Section (2022)
• Asia Study Grant, National Library of Australia (2020)

Dr. Umar has been funded as a principal investigator on externally funded research and has served as a mentor and educator, teaching courses in International Ethics, Human Rights, and International Relations Theory. He has contributed policy commentary to The Conversation, The Interpreter, and 9DashLine, and his analysis has been cited by major media outlets including BBC Indonesia, The Straits Times, and Nikkei Asia. He previously worked at the ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada, where he served as Executive Secretary (2016–2017).