UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) successfully held a Community Outreach Program (COP) for the third time from Monday to Friday, August 24-25, 2020. Unlike the previous activities, this year’s COP, ASEA-UNINET International Community Outreach Program: Stunting Prevention Acceleration, was conducted online.
According to Prof. Dr. Sri Sumarmi, S.KM., M.Si., one of the professors of Faculty of Public Health (FKM) UNAIR, for this event UNAIR also collaborated with Diponegoro University and other universities included in the network of The ASEAN European University Network (ASEA UNINET).
“There will be a wider collaboration between FKM UNAIR and local governments, especially the regency government / city government whose regions are stunting locus areas as well as with related NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) such as UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition) and other NGOs, ” she explained.
The program was focused on Stunting Prevention Acceleration because it adopts the goal 1.3 and 3.2 of the Sustainable Goals, on the aspects of Poverty, Good Health and Well-being, targeted to the implementation of an appropriate social security system on a national scale. As of this year, the stunting issues in various regions have not been fully resolved.
“COP is expected to prevent stunting in Indonesia more comprehensively by involving universities through various activities of Higher Education Tri Dharma, from education and teaching, including involving student Community Service Program on stunting prevention, also by contributing research findings, as well as community service activities in the stunting locus regency/city, ” she explained.
Meanwhile, Astria Okta Herdianti, S.I.Kom., As the head of the international service division of Airlangga Global Engagement (AGE) UNAIR said that through this program, students and lecturers will gain experience to explore certain issues.
“Moreover, with the initiation of research, hopefully, there will be continuous research collaboration between UNAIR lecturers and COP lecturer participants in the future through the joint research proposals with funding from each institution or other funding sources,” she added.
Therefore, with this program, Ria hoped that in addition to increasing UNAIR activeness in international consortiums, international students and lecturers can take part in providing inputs related to stunting prevention in affected areas. (*)