Hasanuddin University (Unhas) actively organizes various national and international scientific forums that support the conservation and sustainable use of marine, coastal, and aquatic resources. Since the mid-2010s, the Faculty of Marine Sciences and Fisheries (FIKP) at Unhas has consistently organized the Marine and Fisheries Symposium (SYMARFISH) as a platform for collaboration among academics, researchers, government officials, industry representatives, students, and the public to share knowledge and formulate science-based solutions for the sustainable management of marine and fisheries resources. The continued organization of this symposium demonstrates Unhas’s long-term commitment to building a scientific ecosystem that supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In 2025, Unhas hosts the 12th National and 8th International Symposium (SYMARFISH 2025), with the theme “Blue Economy: Innovative Science-Driven Pathways to Achieve the SDGs.” This forum brings together national and international experts to discuss strategic issues, including the conservation of aquatic biodiversity, climate change, sustainable aquaculture, marine biotechnology, marine pollution, ecotoxicology, and marine resource management. This symposium serves not only as a platform for disseminating research findings but also as a collaborative space that strengthens cross-sectoral networks and fosters science-based policies and innovations for the sustainable management of marine ecosystems. As part of the Road to SYMARFISH 2025 series, Unhas and the Indonesia Conservation Strategy Foundation (CSF Indonesia) organized Webinar Series 1: Tracing Indonesia’s Maritime Heritage: From History to the Blue Economy on 6 March 2025. The online event brought together academics, researchers, students, and practitioners to discuss Indonesia’s maritime history and the transition toward a sustainable blue economy.  The webinar encouraged knowledge sharing, public awareness, and collaboration on sustainable fisheries and coastal development.

In addition, Unhas also played an active role in the Joint Symposium on China–Indonesia Marine Ecological Ranching and Achievements Exhibition 2025, held at Shanghai Ocean University in China. This international forum strengthened collaboration between Unhas, Shanghai Ocean University, and Guangdong Ocean University in the development of marine ecological ranching and the restoration of coastal ecosystems through artificial reef technology. The symposium served as a platform for exchanging knowledge on coral reef rehabilitation, the connectivity of seagrass–mangrove–coral reef ecosystems, the conservation of threatened marine species, and the monitoring of biodiversity and biomass in restoration areas. This collaboration also supports the implementation of the restoration of 200 artificial reef units in the Bonetambung waters at the end of 2024 as a model for improving marine habitats and strengthening the sustainability of fishery resources in Indonesia. In June 2025, researchers from the three partner universities conducted a follow-up monitoring expedition to assess the ecological performance of the artificial reefs, including changes in biodiversity, biomass, and habitat recovery, providing scientific evidence to support the long-term sustainability of marine resources in Indonesia.

Through the organization of these forums, Unhas reaffirms its role as a center of excellence in tropical marine science that bridges research, innovation, education, and international partnerships to support the conservation and sustainable use of marine ecosystems and aquatic resources.