Ario Bimo Utomo holds a PhD in International Relations from Universitas Airlangga, a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Sydney, and a BA in International Relations from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Currently, he serves as the Head of the Department at the Department of International Relations, at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa Timur, Indonesia. He is a member of the Paradiplomacy Scholars Network and regularly consults for the Surabaya City Government. His recent publications include “Diplomasi Kota: Teori, Praktik, dan Prospek” (2024), “Paradiplomacy as the product of state transformation in the era of globalisation: the case of Indonesia” (2022), “The Concept of Mandala and the Politics of Paradiplomacy in Indonesia” (2024), and “Reimagining City Identities in Globalisation: A Constructivist Study on City Paradiplomacy” (2019).