In order to realize its vision to become a center for the development of science, technology and public health education with an international reputation, the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) at the Universitas Indonesia (UI) is committed to openly expanding its partnership network with various parties, both domestic and foreign partners. Especially in the academic field. On Tuesday, 16 August 2022, FPH UI again held a meeting with an international partner, Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam. This time the meeting was held in a hybrid manner, with an offline venue in the FPH UI Professor Room and broadcast via the Zoom platform.
At this meeting present from FPH UI were the Dean, Prof. dr. Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, M.S., D.Sc.; Deputy Dean for Education, Research and Student Affairs, Dr. Ir. Asih Setiarini, M.Sc.; Cooperation Manager, Indri Hapsari Susilowati, S.K.M., M.K.K.K., Ph.D.; Professor of FPH UI, Prof. Dr. dr. Sabarinah, M.Sc.; FPH UI Senior Lecturer, dr. Adang Bachtiar, M.P.H., D.Sc.; Head of the FPH UI Public Health Sciences S-3 Study Program, Dr. dr. Rita Damayanti, MSPH., two prospective joint doctorate supervision program students who are also lecturers at FPH UI, namely R. Sutiawan, S.Kom., M.Sc., and dr. Yoslien Sopamena and three staff from the UI International Affairs Office. In addition, present from VU Amsterdam was Prof. Marjolein Zweekhorst, Head of the Global Health Department, Athena Institute, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit and Dr. Ruth Peters, Assistant Professor in Global Health, Athena Institute, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit.
The meeting between FPH UI and VU Amsterdam this time is not the first meeting. This meeting was a follow-up to discussions on cooperation regarding establishing a joint doctorate supervision program from both parties. This graduate of the joint doctorate supervision program at FPH UI and VU Amsterdam is one of the outcomes of a collaborative research project between the two parties, with a research team consisting of Dr. dr. Rita Damayanti, MSPH., Chair of the Public Health Sciences Doctoral Study Program FPH UI and Dr. Ruth Peters, Assistant Professor in Global Health from VU Amsterdam. The cooperation agreement from the joint doctorate supervision program is going through the refinement stage to be submitted and approved by the respective leaders of the two institutions involved.
This joint doctorate supervision program is in the context of a formal collaboration between the two institutions where the partner institution aims to substantially contribute to the supervision of doctoral candidates. “This program is a good start to start other collaborations, especially under the tri dharma pillars of higher education, which are good for both institutions,” said the Dean of FPH UI, Prof. dr. Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, M.S., D.Sc., initiated discussions on cooperation between the two parties.
In addition to discussing further cooperation regarding the joint doctorate supervision program, this discussion also discussed prospects for other collaborations that could be chosen and elaborated by both parties. Among other things, cooperation related to student mobility programs, visiting professors, joint research, sandwich programs, and inbound public health programs.
The VU Amsterdam welcomed the various cooperation proposals submitted by FPH UI. “We welcome various interesting proposals for this cooperation. This is by the values of our institution which believes that science must contribute to a healthy, inclusive and sustainable world and to do so we need to integrate perspectives from various parties and carry out joint actions,” said Prof. Marjolein Zweekhorst. Furthermore, Prof. Marjolein Zweekhorst and Dr. Ruth also said that VU Amsterdam offers a high-class research infrastructure with several nationally and internationally renowned interdisciplinary institutions.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, which collaborates with FPH UI, is a research-based university in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which was founded in 1880, and consistently ranks among the 150 best universities in the world. (wrk)
