FMIPA UII – The Head of the Department of Pharmacy at Universitas Islam Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Apt. Yandi Syukri, M.Si., who currently also serves as the Chair of the Indonesian Association of Higher Education in Pharmacy (APTFI), led the Indonesian delegation at the Asian Association of School of Pharmacy (AASP) on 8–10 Safar 1447 H / 2–4 August 2025 in Japan. This meeting was also attended by experts in the field of pharmacy from various countries in Asia to discuss the latest developments in pharmacy, with a particular focus on curriculum development in education.

On the sidelines of this event, a meeting was also held with several Deans of Faculties of Pharmacy in ASEAN and curriculum experts from the United States to discuss agendas and a follow-up meeting in November in Vietnam as part of advancing Higher Education in Pharmacy in Indonesia.

As part of the series of activities, Prof. Dr. Yandi Syukri, M.Si. also led the delegation under APTFI representing 25 Faculties/Schools of Pharmacy in Indonesia to establish collaborations with various schools of pharmacy in Japan, including Nihon Pharmaceutical University and the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University.

“What is interesting is that the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has three departments/majors: 1. Pharmacy, 2. Pharmaceutical Sciences, and 3. Clinical Dietetics and Human Nutrition. The Department of Pharmacy is a 6-year program that integrates undergraduate and professional studies, resulting in a Pharm.D degree equivalent to a Master’s degree, allowing graduates to directly pursue doctoral studies. The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences manages drug and cosmetic products, while the Department of Clinical Dietetics and Human Nutrition focuses on Food Science/Sports/Interaction between pharmaceuticals and food. This shows that the scope of pharmaceutical education is not only to produce pharmacists in the areas of service, management, and pharmaceutical product development, but also expands into the fields of cosmetics, food, and sports. It is time for pharmaceutical higher education in Indonesia to reform, given the breadth of the pharmaceutical sciences. Not to mention the field of veterinary pharmacy or animal medicines, which has not yet been extensively explored,” said Prof. Yandi.

In addition to leading the APTFI delegation consisting of experts and leaders of schools of pharmacy in Indonesia, on this occasion Prof. Yandi and the Department of Pharmacy at UII also sent representatives to advance pharmaceutical education at UII, including Apt. M. Hatta Prabowo, M.Si., Ph.D. (Head of Pharmacy Study Program), Apt. Pinus Jumaryatno, S.Si., M.Phil., Ph.D., Dr., Apt. Lutfi Chabib, S.Farm., M.Sc., Apt. Yulianto, S.Farm., M.P.H., Apt. Fajar Aji Lumakso, M.Pharm.Sci., and Apt. Hannie Fitriani, M.Farm.