The Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI) in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) organized the Global Outreach Program. Taking place from September 22 – 26, 2024, this program aims to strengthen academic cooperation and broaden the horizons of FTUI Biomedical Engineering students and Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences (Biomehs) students of the UTM Student Society.
The program activity was opened with remarks from the Head of the FTUI Biomedical Engineering Study Program, Dr. Basari, S.T., M.Eng, who introduced the history of Biomedical Engineering. “Since it was first inaugurated in 2018, the Biomedical Engineering study program has now entered its 6th batch, of which three batches have now graduated. Many of the graduates then work in the fields of pharmaceuticals, healthcare, medical devices, and other related sectors,” said Dr. Basari.
Dr. Eng. Ir. Arief Udhiarto, S.T., M.T., Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering (DTE) FTUI, said, “This program is a place to exchange knowledge and experience for both FTUI students and UTM students. It is hoped that students can inspire each other so that later they can build more advanced science in the field of biomedical technology and electro technology in general.”
Dr. Mohamad Ikhwan Jamaludin, Senior Lecturer (Senior Lecturer) of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering UTM, quoted Soekarno’s iconic phrase “Give me ten youths, I will undoubtedly shake the world, to illustrate the great potential of youth in developing the world.” “Let’s make the best use of this opportunity to establish international networking relationships, knowledge exchange, and cultural experiences. Make this program an opportunity to experience cross-border learning.”
For five days, the participants were involved in various academic and cultural activities. In a series of academic activities, participants were invited to visit research facilities at i-CELL and Science Techno Park (STP), which was followed by a laboratory tour. UTM Biomehs students were also introduced to the FTUI Biomedical Engineering course, followed by a sharing session about student projects and research guided by Nurin Tihani, a UTM graduate student.
One of the main activities in this program is the Hands-on Education and Remote Tele-Health Biomedical Engineering and Technology (HEARTBEAT) Workshop. This workshop involves collaboration between UI and UTM students, where they work together as a group to design and make electronic stethoscopes in their activities. After the workshop, the groups competed against each other to complete the project without the help of a facilitator, which was then judged based on the speed and accuracy of the results.
Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU, Dean of FTUI, said, “This program is a step to expand the long-standing cooperation between the Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. I believe that through cross-cultural knowledge exchange interaction, it will have a positive impact on students to develop biomedical technology in the future. Hopefully this spirit of collaboration can continue both in the form of joint research, the development of technological innovations, and a more in-depth exchange of knowledge,” he concluded.
In addition to academic activities, Biomehs UTM student participants were also introduced to cultural activities, such as enjoying various Indonesian specialties and visiting several iconic places in Jakarta. This activity was also filled with cultural exchange discussions between students of the two universities. As a UI Biomedical Engineering student organization, the Association of Biomedical Engineering (ASBE), also plays a role in hosting and facilitating UTM students during this program. Through this collaboration, it is hoped that new innovations will be born that can contribute to the development of health technology in the future.
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Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
