The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) at Universitas Indonesia (UI) held a Postgraduate Program Information Session on Saturday, January 15, 2025, virtually via Zoom Meeting. This session featured the heads of master’s and doctoral programs, who presented the curriculum, strengths, and career prospects of each program. Moderated by Dr. Haryadi Wibowo, S.H., M.A.R.S., Vice Chairman of the FPH UI Alumni Association, more than 70 prospective students eagerly participated to gain insights into academic and professional opportunities through the programs offered.
FPH UI’s postgraduate programs include the Master’s Program in Public Health (IKM), Master’s in Epidemiology, Master’s in Hospital Administration Studies (KARS), Master’s in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), Doctorate in Public Health (IKM), and Doctorate in Epidemiology. FPH UI offers two types of classes for postgraduate students: regular classes held from Monday to Saturday and regular classes with a blended learning system—partly on-campus and partly online—designed specifically for students from remote areas. These systems are designed to provide flexibility for students in pursuing their education. With strong academic excellence, FPH UI students have greater opportunities to receive research grants for their final projects from both internal and external UI sources.
Regarding facilities, FPH UI provides a comfortable learning environment, including adequate lecture rooms and free internet access with a total of 32 hotspot points and a bandwidth capacity of 120 Mbps. Additionally, various supporting facilities are available, such as LCD projectors, computers, an IP Board in the RIK Building, access to UI-subscribed journals, a recording and video conference room, and academic software such as SPSS, Epidata, and Mendeley.
FPH UI’s vision is to become a center of excellence in education, knowledge development, research, and community service in the field of public health. This aligns with the presentation by Dr. Budi Hartono, Head of the Master’s Program in Public Health (IKM). The vision of the Master’s in Public Health program is to become a leading center for public health studies, contributing to health development in Indonesia and Asia. The program aims to produce highly qualified graduates who significantly contribute to public health development in Indonesia. Furthermore, it seeks to develop leaders capable of providing evidence-based recommendations to address health issues while respecting local cultures and diverse perspectives.
The Master’s in Public Health program is the oldest in Indonesia and has served as a reference for similar programs nationwide since its establishment in 1990, in accordance with the Directorate General of Higher Education Decree No. 577/DIKTI/Kep/1993. With 17 specializations managed by five departments and two study groups, the program offers the widest range of specializations in Indonesia. Its alumni are spread across the country, supported by 65 home-based faculty members who have completed their doctoral (Ph.D.) education.
The diversity of specializations and the long-standing track record of the Master’s in Public Health program highlight its role as a pioneer in public health education in Indonesia. Alongside this, the Master’s in Epidemiology program stands as one of the key pillars in producing experts who contribute to research and evidence-based health policies.
Dr. Helda, M.Kes., Head of the Master’s in Epidemiology program, explained that the program aims to be an excellent institution in Indonesia and internationally competitive in the field of epidemiology. It offers three main specializations: Community Epidemiology, Clinical Epidemiology, and the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP). Graduates of this program are equipped with competencies to develop epidemiological principles, methods, and applications through innovative research and interdisciplinary approaches to solving health problems. Additionally, they are expected to manage research and development in epidemiology that benefits society and earns national and international recognition. With these competencies, graduates of the Master’s in Epidemiology program can pursue careers as researchers, managers, healthcare leaders, health policy advocates, educators, epidemiologists, and health program designers.
Alongside the Master’s in Epidemiology program, the Master’s in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) program is another popular choice at FPH UI. This program is designed to produce graduates who not only understand OHS from an academic perspective but can also apply it across various sectors. Dr. Dadan Erwandi, S.Psi., M.Psi., Head of the Master’s in OHS program, explained that graduates are equipped with critical and systematic thinking skills in OHS and are prepared to face challenges in industries, government, and society. Education quality is a key focus at FPH UI, and the program includes supervision at least once per semester, where faculty members and program administrators conduct course reviews, monitoring, evaluation, and student consultations.
Other speakers at the event included Dr. drg. Masyitoh Basabih, MARS., Head of the Master’s in Hospital Administration Studies (KARS); Dr. Dra. Rita Damayanti, M.S.P.H., Head of the Doctorate in Public Health (IKM); and Prof. drg. Nurhayati Adnan, M.Sc., Sc.D., Head of the Doctorate in Epidemiology.
Through this information session, FPH UI not only provided a comprehensive overview of its postgraduate programs but also reinforced its commitment to producing competent graduates who are ready to tackle challenges in the field of public health. With strong academic support and broad career prospects, FPH UI hopes to attract top prospective students to join and contribute to improving health quality in Indonesia and beyond. (DFD)