On Thursday, 21 May 2026, the International Office (IO) of Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) hosted a “Sharing Session on Best Practices for International Programs.” Held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the Senate Room of the Faculty of Medicine (FK), the event commenced with opening remarks from Andi Masyitha Irwan, Ph.D. (Head of IO), popularly known as Ms. Citha. She explained that the IO continuously identifies excellent international initiatives across university faculties via Weekly News reports sent by the Internationalization Task Force. For FK specifically, the IO highlighted their highly successful Inbound/Outbound Student Programs as an exemplary model to inspire and shape strategic planning for other faculties in the coming years.
The presentation segment was led by Prof. Dr. dr. Rina Masadah, the Vice Dean for Partnership and International Programs at FK, who also serves on the university’s Internationalization Task Force. Prof. Rina traced the roots of FK’s internationalization back to its history of hosting Malaysian students, many of whom have now become practicing professional doctors in Malaysia. She detailed the structured organization of their outbound programs, which allow UNHAS students to conduct hospital clinical rotations in various countries, including Taiwan, Japan, and the Netherlands.
Furthermore, Prof. Rina highlighted the dynamics of the inbound program, which welcomes medical students from countries like Japan and the Netherlands to Makassar. These international students visit local hospitals to observe medical cases, though they are strictly restricted to observational roles and direct patient contact is only permitted under the direct supervision of the attending doctor. Interestingly, Prof. Rina noted that one of the primary reasons international students are drawn to Makassar is the opportunity to observe distinct clinical cases and diseases that are still actively prevalent in Indonesia but rare in their home countries.
The Rector of UNHAS, Prof. Jamaluddin Jompa (well known as Prof. JJ), arrived during the presentation and delivered his welcome remarks immediately afterwards. Prof. JJ emphasized the critical importance of these sharing sessions, suggesting that the IO increases efficiency by featuring two or three faculties per session while keeping the format highly engaging. He challenged the audience to address the core question of “Why UNHAS?” to better attract global collaborators, and reminded the faculty that every single lecturer should actively act as a marketing ambassador for the university.
Following Prof. JJ’s official opening of the event, the session transitioned into an interactive Question and Answer (Q&A) segment. Attendees raised practical questions, including inquiries regarding the timeline and time management required to organize complex inbound/outbound programs. Another notable discussion centered on the clinical setting, specifically how international students at FK navigate the language barrier by beginning to communicate in Bahasa Indonesia with local hospital patients. Prof. Rina addressed all inquiries comprehensively, and the successful session concluded with a warm lunch reception graciously provided by the Faculty of Medicine.
