The Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Syiah Kuala (FKG USK), reaffirmed its commitment to developing dental education that is responsive to global health challenges through the Guest Lecture entitled “Integrating One Health into Health Profession Education – Towards Collaborative Curriculum in Indonesia,” organized by the Department of Oral Biology, FKG USK.
Held in Banda Aceh, the guest lecture featured Dr. Nur Indah Binti Ahmad from the Malaysia One Health University Network (MyOHUN) and Dewi Harfina from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) as speakers. The guest lecture served as an academic forum to broaden the understanding of the academic community regarding the One Health approach, which views human health, animal health, and environmental health as interconnected and interdependent components.
The Dean of FKG USK emphasized that current health challenges can no longer be addressed through a single-discipline approach. Environmental changes, zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and various public health issues require collaboration across professions and sectors.
“One Health is not merely a concept, but a way of thinking that needs to be integrated into health professional education. Students need to be equipped with the ability to view health issues from a broader perspective, work collaboratively, and develop solutions that have a meaningful impact on society,” said the Dean of FKG USK.
Prior to opening the event, the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of Universitas Syiah Kuala also emphasized the importance of shifting the educational model from merely interdisciplinary learning toward collaborative learning, in which students from medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, public health, forestry, agriculture, marine sciences, engineering, and various other fields are trained to address challenges collectively across professional boundaries. According to him, this approach is highly relevant to the main theme of the event, “Integrating One Health into Health Profession Education – Towards Collaborative Curriculum in Indonesia.”
He emphasized that the implementation of One Health must lead to concrete actions and policies rather than remain limited to seminars or memoranda of understanding. The university expects this collaboration to lead to shared curricula, cross-disciplinary research, community engagement, policy briefs, innovations, and policy recommendations that generate meaningful and tangible impacts for society.
At the conclusion of his remarks, the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs encouraged all participants to make the guest lecture a starting point for building broader networks, including international networks. He reminded the students that they will become future professionals who are expected to communicate effectively, collaborate across professions, and develop collective solutions for a better future of healthcare.
This activity also forms part of FKG USK’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the internationalization of education, expand academic networks, and produce dental graduates who possess a global perspective and the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
Carrying the spirit of “One Health, One Future,” FKG USK views health professions education as one of the important foundations for building a more integrated, sustainable, and community-oriented health system while promoting environmental sustainability.
The Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Syiah Kuala, remains committed to continuously integrating the One Health approach into the transformation of education, research, and community engagement, contributing to the development of collaborative, sustainable, and impactful health professions education.
