SEMARANG – The Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro (FK Undip), is once again hosting the International Summer Course 2025 under the theme “Disaster Behavioral Health in Preventing Disaster-Related Social Issues.” The program, held from August 25 to September 4, 2025, began with registration and an opening ceremony featuring the sub-theme “Trauma Healing & Mental Health Awareness.” The day opened with a warm ceremony featuring welcoming speeches from the Chief of Committee, a representative lecturer from St. Paul University Philippines, and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro. The atmosphere became even more vibrant with cultural performances, including the traditional Tari Semarangan dance, as well as musical presentations by medical students who performed “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban and “Siapkah Kau Tuk Jatuh Cinta” by HIVI.
The event brings together leading international experts, including Yonathan Asikin, Ph.D. from the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan, who presented “Complementary Therapy for Psychological Issue-Related Disaster.” In addition, Prof. Dr. Meidiana Dwidiyanti, S.Kp., M.Sc. from Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro delivered a session on “Mental Health and Trauma Healing.” The program continued with an interactive panel discussion that engaged participants from various countries.
In her opening remarks, the organizing committee chair highlighted that this year’s program features 28 international speakers from the Philippines, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Taiwan. A total of 139 international participants have registered, including 63 students from the Philippines as well as participants from Japan, Malaysia, and China.
“This program is designed not only to broaden knowledge on the relationship between health and disaster but also to foster international networking. We hope this activity will serve as a platform for collaboration while strengthening the academic reputation of Faculty of Medicine at the global level,” said Sri Padma Sari, M.N.S., Ph.D., during the Opening Ceremony on Tuesday (August 26, 2025).
Dean of Faculty of Medicine Universitas Diponegoro, dr. Yan Wisnu Prajoko, M.Kes, Sp.B (K) Onk, also emphasized the importance of cross-country collaboration in addressing disaster challenges.
“Disaster management cannot be handled alone—we need to strengthen collaboration,” he affirmed.
Echoing this, Prof. Dr. Ir. Hadiyanto, S.T., M.Sc., IPU, Director of Reputation, Partnership, and Global Connectivity at Undip, stressed that the program aligns with the university’s World Class University (WCU) initiative.
“As part of WCU, UNDIP is committed to contributing to scientific collaboration with global universities, particularly in disaster management,” he noted.
The International Summer Course 2025 hosted by Faculty of Medicine Universitas Diponegoro was designed with several strategic objectives. The program introduces an evidence-based approach to behavioral health interventions in disaster contexts, particularly in addressing both social and psychosocial impacts. It also aims to expand the knowledge of health students—both Indonesian and international—on the interconnection between natural and social disasters that often affect communities. Through lectures and interactive discussions, participants gain deeper insights into strategies for mitigation, adaptation, trauma healing, and mental health recovery for disaster-affected populations.
More than just an academic forum, this program serves as a platform for international collaboration in disaster management through a behavioral health perspective. The participation of experts and students from various countries further underscores Faculty of Medicine Universitas Diponegoro’s growing reputation as a global hub for education and research in health sciences.
The first academic session introduced complementary therapy for psychological issues related to disasters, focusing on the role of aromatherapy. Participants learned about its evidence-based benefits in reducing stress, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia through its influence on the olfactory system and brain regulation of serotonin and cortisol. Following this, Prof. Dr. Mediana Dwidayanti highlighted the impact of disasters on mental health, and life-event factors shape psychological resilience. She also introduced simple trauma healing techniques such as breathing exercises, body scanning, emotional acceptance, and relaxation to help individuals recover from traumatic experiences.
The next session focused on essential health care during disaster, where Dr. Abdul Mughni presented strategies for injury and trauma management. Emphasis was placed on rapid primary surveys using the ABCDE approach, secondary survey, and the importance of early referral and rehabilitation. A panel discussion further deepened participants’ understanding through practical exchanges and scenario-based dialogue.
In the afternoon, the program shifted towards public health crisis preparation and response, while Dr. Hsin-I Shih from National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, shared insights on crisis preparation and response, underlining the importance of communication, inter-agency collaboration, and focused support for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and rural communities.
The day concluded with a photo session of all participants in front of the Faculty of Medicine building, capturing the spirit of collaboration, cultural exchange, and shared learning that marked the entire event.
Through this initiative, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Diponegoro reaffirms its commitment to advancing disaster management grounded in health approaches while strengthening global partnerships to build resilient communities and public health systems in the post-disaster context.(*)
