Enhancing Public Health Education through International Collaboration and Innovative Curriculum Development

• By Admin
• Jumat, 20 Juni 2025

In a strategic step to enhance academic quality and community impact, the Master of Public Health Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University, in collaboration with the Australian National University, successfully held a seminar titled “Embracing the Digital Era” and launched a new Digital Health Literacy Module on June 20, 2025. The event, held in Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah Hall, marked the culmination of a multi-phase project aimed at strengthening digital health capacity among primary healthcare providers.

The module development initiative, led by Dr. dr. Anak Agung Sagung Sawitri, MPH, was supported by the Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII) and funded by the Commonwealth of Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)—demonstrating strong international collaboration and commitment to evidence-based educational innovation. The development of the module also included junior staff at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (dr. Putu Cintya Denny Yuliyatni, MPH and dr. I Made Dwi Ariawan, M.Kes), as well Pande Putu Rissa Cempaka, SKM, M.Kes as one alumna of the Study Program, and Jana Darmika as the student of the master study program. 

The official launch was led by Jo Stevens, the Australian Consul-General in Bali (see https://www.instagram.com/p/DLG4CgQTWCH/?igsh=eHg5eG83Z3NycTNm), alongside Prof. Dr. I Md. Ady Wirawan, MPH, Ph.D., Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Information representing the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University. Also present were representatives from the Bali Provincial Health Office, Denpasar City Health Office, and heads of community health centers (Puskesmas) in Denpasar.

Attended by 93 invitees in a hybrid format, the event brought together leaders from all medical faculties in Bali, the Provincial and District Health Offices, Provincial Training and Health Education Center (Bapelkesmas), the Communications and Informatics Agencies (Kominfo), Puskesmas representatives across the province, and public health graduate students. This wide participation reflects the program’s strong linkage with stakeholders and relevance to national public health priorities.

Keynote speaker Dr. I Nyoman Sutarsa, MPH, Ph.D., SFHEA, a module development team member, presented the process of developing the module, key findings on digital readiness in primary care, training content, implementation strategies, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and lessons learned. While the second speaker, Drg. Desak Gede Eka Variasih, MAP, from the Bali Provincial Health Office, discussed the provincial strategy for strengthening digital health literacy, touching on the national agenda of digital health transformation, the local challenges in Bali, and the strategic role of literacy initiatives in ensuring equitable access to health technologies.

This initiative exemplifies the MPH program’s alignment with academic excellence, innovation in public health education, stakeholder engagement, and community empowerment. Moreover, it showcases the program's leadership in responding to 21st-century public health needs, particularly in digital transformation. 

The seminar received overwhelmingly positive feedback and is expected to serve as a model for digital health literacy integration in primary care settings, not only in Denpasar but across other regions in Indonesia.