Depok, October 9, 2025 – The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) Universitas Indonesia (UI) welcomed Dr. Ir. Zenlin Roosenboom-Kwee from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Netherlands, at Room B206A, Building B, 2nd Floor, FPH UI. This meeting served as an important platform for both institutions to strengthen international research collaboration, particularly in pandemic preparedness and building resilient healthcare systems against infectious disease threats.
The meeting was attended by the Dean of FPH UI, Prof. dr. Mondastri K. Sudaryo, M.S., D.Sc.; Manager of Partnerships, Alumni Relations, and Ventures, Prof. Dr. Indri Hapsari Susilowati, S.K.M., M.K.K.K.; Secretary of the PhD Program in Epidemiology, Dr. dr. Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, M.Sc.; Secretary of the Department of Epidemiology, Trisari Anggondowati, S.K.M., M.Epid., Ph.D.; Secretary of the Study Program, Renti Mahkota, S.K.M., M.Epid.; senior lecturers and faculty members from the Departments of Biostatistics and Demography, Epidemiology, and Occupational Health, as well as Dr. Wahyu Septiono, S.K.M., M.I.H., a lecturer at FPH UI involved in the international project Pandemic Preparedness and Building Resilient Healthcare Systems against Human Pathogenic Diseases (PARAATHEID).
The PARAATHEID project is a research collaboration between FPH UI, the School of Architecture, Planning, and Policy Development at Bandung Institute of Technology (SAPPK ITB), TU Delft (Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management), and Erasmus University Rotterdam. The consortium focuses on assessing the resilience of healthcare facilities at the district/city level—including community health centers (puskesmas) and hospitals—against the impacts of climate change that may trigger emerging infectious diseases.
This collaboration is funded by the Netherlands Research Council (NWO) through a government-to-government program between the Netherlands and Indonesia, supported by the Directorate General of Higher Education (Dikti) and the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP). The project spans multiple years, with a research duration of three to four years, covering activities such as data exchange, cross-disciplinary methodology development, joint publications, and preparation of international research grant proposals.
Dr. Zenlin’s visit to FPH UI is part of the consortium’s annual activities, which were previously conducted mostly online. In addition to reviewing project progress and achievements, the meeting was used to plan future actions and explore potential new collaborative research opportunities.
“This meeting is a valuable opportunity to introduce Dr. Zenlin directly to the FPH UI academic community and build stronger research synergies. We aim to explore further collaboration, particularly in pandemic preparedness and healthcare systems,” said the Dean of FPH UI during the discussion session.
From TU Delft, Dr. Zenlin also expressed appreciation for FPH UI’s enthusiasm in supporting cross-disciplinary research. She introduced the TU Delft Global Health Initiative, which could serve as a gateway for developing future joint research with FPH UI.
“We see that FPH UI has strong research capacity and aligns well with the focus of the TU Delft Global Health Initiative. This collaboration is not only about technical research but also about building sustainable, evidence-based healthcare system resilience,” stated Dr. Zenlin Roosenboom-Kwee.
The meeting also marked a milestone as the first collaboration between TU Delft and a public health faculty in Indonesia, considering that TU Delft has traditionally partnered more with engineering faculties. FPH UI lecturers and researchers, including those from the Departments of Biostatistics and Demography and Epidemiology, welcomed the opportunity to participate in international research that directly contributes to strengthening national healthcare systems.
Through the spirit of collaboration and multidisciplinary research, FPH UI continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing knowledge and evidence-based policy to address global health challenges. As the oldest public health faculty in Indonesia, FPH UI actively strengthens international networks to foster healthier, more resilient, and globally competitive communities. (wrk)