With Katalis support, Australian and Indonesian universities collaborate to boost health professional standards and competitiveness
JAKARTA, 18 July 2022 – Supported by Katalis, a consortium of Australian and Indonesian research universities is conducting a comparative assessment of nursing standards in Indonesia and Australia. Having commenced in May 2022, the study identifies areas of improvement, including curricula, skills, and competencies among others, for Indonesia’s nursing education system to deliver world qualified and competent nurses and health workers.
Led by La Trobe University and conducted in partnership with experienced nurse academics and researchers from Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Hasanuddin, and Universitas Pelita Harapan, the AUD 203,310 (IDR 2.1 billion) study is examining core health professional skills and competencies in both Indonesia and Australia and providing recommendations to bring these into closer alignment.
In addition, the activity will also clearly articulate training and investment opportunities in nursing education, standardisation, and other relevant collaborations with Australian technical/teaching hospitals and clinics.
“Our support for the comparative assessment of nursing standards in Indonesia and Australia coordinates strongly with other Katalis activities in the health sector. It also serves as an entryway for more Australian investment in health and related services in Indonesia, and in the long run strengthens bilateral economic partnership in the priority sector of health, as envisioned in the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement,” said Paul Bartlett, Director of ECP Katalis.
Development in health services and nursing education in Indonesia is expected to catalyse job creation and provide increased opportunities not only for women, many of whom are employed in the health sector, but also for people with disabilities and those from minority groups.
“We’re excited to work with Katalis to inform improvements in Indonesia’s health sector. We’re confident that this collaboration will lead to greater equivalence in the educational preparation of nurses and enable greater alignment between the preparation of nurses in Australia and Indonesia,” said Lisa McKenna, Lead Researcher and Dean, School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University.
