Universitas Gadjah Mada redefines health transformation by forging meaningful partnerships across local, national, and international levels. From digitising traditional medicine with the Yogyakarta Health Department to addressing stunting and reproductive health with national agencies, UGM integrates cultural heritage with modern healthcare solutions. Globally, its role in transdisciplinary networks and academic collaborations reflects a focus on actionable outcomes in education, research, and community impact. These initiatives reflect the reality that UGM must join forces and nurture strong partnerships with health institutions to address health challenges and provide meaningful health services.
Collaborations with Local Governments
The Faculty of Pharmacy is now aiming for the sustainable health transformation goals by emphasising traditional medicine’s role in public health.
Together with the Health Department of Yogyakarta Province, they launched the Digital Jamu Literacy Application. The app, currently in the beta phase of production, integrates traditional Indonesian herbal medicine (jamu) into a digital, interactive platform aimed at preserving cultural heritage and supporting health education. Features include information on medicinal plants, traditional recipes, preparation methods, and historical scripts, ensuring scientific accuracy for safe usage. The app will be accessible via interactive displays in museums such as Sonobudoyo and Taman Pintar. The app has a potential for global reach, which will help preserve Indonesia’s cultural heritage through innovative digital solutions.
Launching of Digital Jamu Literacy Application in collaboration with Dinas Kesehatan Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (health services).
Also in Yogyakarta, the UGM Academic Hospital and BKKBN have partnered to enhance family planning services and reduce stunting. The agreement includes contraceptive services, reproductive health programs, stunting case audits, and training in communication and education (KIE). The expertise from UGM Academic Hospital in healthcare and training contributes greatly to the development of training modules and later on, to bridging international partnerships.
Collaborations with Local Governments
The Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK) has multiple collaborations with national and international institutions to enhance education, research, and community health. Together with their partners, they support transdisciplinary programs, distance learning, and innovation downstreaming, aligned with strategic policies. These partnerships enable student and staff exchanges, joint research, academic transfer, and double-degree programs.
At the national level, FK-KMK UGM is the founding member of several networks: the Indonesia Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine (ICE-EBM), Health Promoting University (HPU), Academic Health System (AHS UGM), and as a leader in the Inter-University Consortium on Global Health (IUCGH).
At the global level, FK-KMK UGM is part of international networks like Toward Unity for Health (TUFH), LINQED Educational Network, IDEAL Consortium, Tropical Education (tropEd) Network for Education in International Health, the Asian Schools in Public Health (ASPH), and many more. UGM will continue to expand its collaborations worldwide to build capacity and drive excellence in health education and services.
UGM’s Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing Universitas Gadjah Mada (FK-KMK) fosters international partnerships to strengthen education, research, and community service.
Sources: https://fkkmk.ugm.ac.id/partnership/
https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2023/10/partnership-agreement-with-indonesian-universitas-gadjah-mada-ratified-during-visit
https://fkkmk.ugm.ac.id/kerjasama/
UGM, especially, has played a large role in the Health Promoting University (HPU) network, which has been developed since 2014 through the Health Promoting Network of the ASEAN University Network (AUN-HPN). As one of approximately 30 Southeast Asian universities in AUN, UGM contributed to drafting the Healthy University Framework between 2015 and 2018. The framework, which was finalised in 2017, serves as a guideline for implementing healthy campus initiatives across AUN member universities. Following its adoption, UGM officially became a Health Promoting University in July 2019 to this day.
Besides the Faculty of Medicine, UGM’s partnerships have also reached other islands in Indonesia such as with the Provincial Government of Central Kalimantan. Together we have begun to advance human resource development and evidence-based policymaking. Key initiatives include a doctoral program for specialist healthcare training and collaborations in health, technology, and economic development.This collaboration aims to foster innovation, support Indonesia’s 2045 Golden Vision, and strengthen Central Kalimantan’s strategic role near the new Indonesian capital city.
The Government of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, has signed a partnership agreement with Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) to strengthen education, research, and community service in the region.
Source: https://dinkes.kalteng.go.id/berita/penguatan-kerjasama-antara-pemerintah-provinsi-kalimantan-tengah-dan-universitas-gadjah-mada/
Simultaneously, in the former capital of Jakarta, the Faculty of Dentistry (FKG UGM) has partnered with RSAB Harapan Kita Jakarta to enhance orthodontic education, focusing on interdisciplinary clinical training for cleft lip and palate cases. This collaboration, the first between the two institutions, is part of UGM’s mission to deliver high-quality dental education and dental care across the nation. The partnership also supports broader interdisciplinary initiatives, including paediatric dentistry and social programs like cleft lip surgeries in Samarinda City, East Kalimantan.