Depok, May 7, 2026 — The Faculty of Public Health (FPH), Universitas Indonesia (UI), welcomed a delegation from the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) for a strategic meeting held at the Meeting Room, Building A, 3rd Floor, UI Central Library (RIK UI). The meeting marked an important milestone in strengthening international networks in global health, multidisciplinary research development, and higher education innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.
The meeting was attended by the Dean of FPH UI, Prof. Dr. Indri Hapsari Susilowati, S.K.M., M.K.K.K.; the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Besral, S.K.M., M.Sc.; the Manager of Partnerships and Ventures, Dr. Budi Hartono, S.Si., M.K.M.; the Manager of Research and Community Engagement, Rizka Maulida, S.K.M., M.H.Sc., Ph.D.; as well as other members of the faculty leadership and management team. The APRU delegation included Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive of APRU; Adriana Rojas, Senior Director of APRU Programs; Joey Chu, Senior Manager of Events; and Vini Damayanti, Communication and Administrative Officer.
During the meeting, Dean of FPH UI, Prof. Dr. Indri Hapsari Susilowati, highlighted the faculty’s long-standing collaboration with APRU across various strategic areas. According to her, FPH UI has actively contributed to numerous APRU initiatives, including Global Health, Population Aging, and Disaster and Major Hazard programs. The faculty’s involvement has also been demonstrated through active participation in the APRU Mini Certificate Program and other international forums.
“Last year, Melissa recognized me as a Faculty Ambassador for my involvement as a facilitator in the APRU Mini Certificate Program. For two consecutive years, we also organized a Mini Certificate program in ethics, involving participants and facilitators from various countries,” said Prof. Indri.
She further explained that the collaborative relationship between FPH UI and APRU extends beyond faculty members to include students. FPH UI students have consistently participated in APRU international conferences and competitions, with several students earning awards in poster and video competitions related to Global Health and Population Aging.
The APRU delegation then presented the organization’s future strategic directions while exploring opportunities to strengthen partnerships with Universitas Indonesia, particularly FPH UI. Discussions covered potential collaborations in Global Health, Population Aging, Disaster Resilience, Food Security, and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare.
Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive of APRU, explained that APRU continues to promote multidisciplinary collaboration among member universities to address increasingly complex global challenges.
“Many areas that previously operated independently are now becoming interconnected. Global health is closely linked to multi-hazards, food systems, AI, and environmental studies. This presents a significant opportunity to build more interdisciplinary collaborations in the future,” Thomas stated.
Adriana Rojas, Senior Director of APRU Programs, also expressed appreciation for Universitas Indonesia’s active contributions to APRU initiatives, particularly in Population Aging and Global Health.
“We are very open to new ideas from FPH UI. We see tremendous potential for collaboration, including AI innovation in healthcare, student leadership programs, and the development of global learning initiatives that engage students from different countries,” said Adriana.
During the discussion, the APRU delegation also introduced various international participation opportunities for the FPH UI academic community. These included the APRU Global Health Conference 2026 in Hong Kong, the Multi-Hazards Conference in South Korea, and the development of multidisciplinary summer programs focusing on disaster resilience and public health.
The discussion was highly dynamic, generating a range of ideas related to strengthening research networks, enhancing student mobility, developing international leadership programs, and leveraging AI to support public health innovation. The APRU delegation also encouraged FPH UI’s participation in a number of upcoming international initiatives.
This visit further reinforces FPH UI’s position as a public health education institution that actively contributes to international academic networks and the development of collaborative, multidisciplinary solutions to global health challenges. As global health issues become increasingly complex, cross-border and cross-disciplinary collaboration remains essential to fostering innovation and creating meaningful impact for communities worldwide. (EAR)