Depok, October 8, 2025 – The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) Universitas Indonesia (UI) continues to expand its international collaboration network in education, research, and community engagement. On Wednesday (October 8), FPH UI welcomed a delegation from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), the Netherlands, for an exploratory meeting held at Meeting Room B206, FPH UI, Depok.
The meeting was attended by the Dean of FPH UI, Prof. dr. Mondastri K. Sudaryo, M.S., D.Sc.; Vice Dean for Education, Research, and Student Affairs, Dr. Ir. Asih Setiarini, M.Sc.; along with faculty and program leaders. The LUMC delegation included Prof. dr. Marc Bruijnzeels, Professor of Population Health Management, and Dr. Martijn Sijboom, Assistant Professor.
In her welcoming remarks, Prof. Mondastri expressed appreciation for the visit and highlighted FPH UI’s enthusiasm for building a strategic partnership with Leiden University Medical Center. “We have maintained a long-standing relationship with several universities in the Netherlands. However, this marks an exciting new step for us with Leiden University Medical Center. FPH UI was founded in 1965, initially as part of the Faculty of Medicine before becoming an independent faculty. We now offer various undergraduate and postgraduate programs with both national and international accreditation, and we are currently preparing three more programs for international accreditation,” she stated. Prof. Mondastri also introduced several research centers within FPH UI that hold strong potential for collaboration in public health research and innovation.
Representing LUMC, Prof. Marc Bruijnzeels provided an overview of Leiden University Medical Center’s history as one of the leading medical institutions in the Netherlands, known for its commitment to global health education and research. This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Martijn Sijboom, who elaborated on LUMC’s academic and research activities.
“Not all health issues can be solved by physicians alone. Therefore, we emphasize interprofessional and interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex health challenges,” said Dr. Martijn Sijboom. He also introduced the Population Health Living Lab, an interdisciplinary initiative at LUMC that integrates research, education, and real-world health practice.
The discussion that followed was dynamic and productive, exploring potential areas of collaboration including student and faculty exchange programs, joint research, and the development of joint academic initiatives.
Prof. Marc noted that LUMC is open to various forms of partnership, such as joint summer schools and interdisciplinary programs similar to those developed with the University of Birmingham. “There are many creative ways to design mutually beneficial collaborations. We are open to developing programs that are relevant to students and researchers from both institutions,” he said.
During the discussion, Prof. Mondastri shared that FPH UI is currently developing a double-degree program in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) with the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, and expressed hopes to explore similar opportunities with LUMC. “We are very enthusiastic about the potential for collaboration with Leiden University Medical Center. We believe that cross-country and cross-disciplinary synergy is essential to addressing global health challenges,” he affirmed.
Prof. Dr. Indri Hapsari Susilowati, S.K.M., M.K.K.K., Manager for Cooperation, Alumni Relations, and Ventures at FPH UI, added that three of FPH UI’s study programs have received international accreditation from the Accreditation Agency in Health and Social Science (AHPGS), further demonstrating the faculty’s readiness to expand its global partnerships.
The meeting also explored opportunities for collaboration in online learning and Occupational Health and Safety. Although LUMC does not yet focus primarily on OHS, Prof. Marc acknowledged the growing importance of the field and expressed interest in connecting FPH UI with other European universities specializing in occupational health.
The session concluded with discussions on concrete collaboration opportunities, including joint research, faculty and student exchanges, and co-hosted academic activities that would benefit both institutions. As a follow-up, both parties agreed to establish a small working group to identify key priority areas for collaboration between FPH UI and LUMC.
This meeting marks a strategic step for FPH UI in strengthening its international partnerships, aligning with its vision to become a faculty of public health with integrity and global excellence. (wrk)