ASIA AFRICA QUALITY FORUM 2024

Jakarta, December 5, 2024 - LAM-PTKes, the first Health Education Accreditation Agency in Indonesia, held an international seminar entitled Asia Africa Quality Forum, an International Conference on improving Collaboration to Enhance the Quality of Health Profession Education in Asia and Africa.

The activity from December 4-6, 2024 was held at the Mercure Convention Center Hotel, Ancol, North Jakarta. Not only inviting speakers from within the country and government agency officials, LAM-PTKes also invited speakers from international Health Education figures such as:

1. Prof. Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro –-Menteri Pendidikan Tinggi Sains dan Teknologi Republik Indonesia

2. Ir. Budi Gunadi Sadikin – Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia

3. Prof. Rachmat Pambudy - Menteri Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional Republik Indonesia yang diwakili oleh Dr. Amich Alhumami (Deputi SDM BAPPENAS)

4. Dr. Ibadat Dhilloni – Regional Advisor WHO SEARO

5. Prof. Ricardo León-Bórquez – Presiden World Federation of Medical Education (WFME)

6. Prof. Titi Savitri – Southeast Asian Regional Association for Medical Education (SEARAME)

7. Dr. Stéphane Lauwick - The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR)

8. Prof. Sergül Duygulu – Presiden Asian Pacific Alliance For Nursing Education (APANE)

9. Prof. Dr. So Yoon Kim – Presiden Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health (APACPH)

10. Prof. E.O. Olapade Olaopa – Presiden Association of Medical Schools in Africa (AMSA)

11. Dr. James Arrighi- Accreditation Council Graduate Medical Education International (ACGME)

12. Prof. Angela Yung Chi Hou-Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN) 

13. Maria Theresa C. Padilla - South East Asia Midwifery Education Association (SEAMEA)

14. Prof. Sri Angky – South East Asia Association for Dental Education (SEAADE)

15. Prof. Daryono - Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy (AASP)

16. Prof. Koichiro Ozawa – Japan Accreditation Board for Pharmaceutical Education (JABPE)

The goal to be achieved from this activity is also one form of aspiration from LAM-PTKes, namely, forming the Asia Africa Quality Forum 2024. We are jointly committed to encouraging the advancement of global health education by supporting the WHO vision related to the health workforce associated with accreditation of health worker education, strengthening collaboration between health education institutions, and increasing stakeholder involvement. This forum is a forum for various best practices, resources, and innovations in accreditation and improving the quality of education in the fields of medical and health sciences, as well as building sustainable networks through dialogue and collaboration between health educators around the world, especially in Asia and Africa.

“Indonesia continues to encourage international recognition for health workers, in line with the 2024 global target. Through LAM-PTKes accreditation and international recognition, Indonesian doctors are now recognized as having global standards, including by the United States. This step supports quality equality through the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) which applies not only to doctors but also dentists and nurses, allowing the exchange of health workers between countries. In the future, Indonesia also targets international standards for nursing, dentistry, and other health professions.†Prof. Usman Chatib Warsa, Chairman of LAM-PTKes

Prof. Ricardo Leon Borquez added that “Collaboration between African and Asian regions to improve the quality of medical education is an important step in human resource development. This collaborative effort was inspired in 1955 and has continued to evolve with the Bali meeting in 2022 setting new directions. Now, a strategic agreement has been signed to strengthen this collaboration. The main focus of quality medical education through this collaboration is not only to prevent brain drain but to ensure that graduates remain working in their home countries to serve the community. By doing so, this education directly contributes to the development and welfare of the people in their respective countriesâ€Â.

This activity was not only filled with competent speakers in the field of Health Education but also held an oral presentation session by 26 participants of scientific manuscripts, where the selected manuscripts were published in the South-East Asian Journal of Medical Education (SEAJME) International Journal.

Furthermore, LAM-PTKes wants to strengthen relations between Health Education organizations both at home and abroad through the signing of a Cooperation agreement in the Asia Africa Quality Assurance for Higher Education in Health (AAQAHEH) Forum. The agreement contains a joint commitment to establish the Asia Africa Quality Forum and increase efforts to improve the quality of Health Worker Education to support the WHO Health workforce strategy. The parties are committed to working together to achieve the objectives and uphold the principles.

“The signing of the AAQF 2024 Agreement is a real step in establishing cooperation to improve the quality of health education, which aims to support the development of human resources, not only in Indonesia but also in Asia and Africa,†said Arum Atmawikarta as Coordinator of the AAQF 2024.