Yogyakarta, August 2, 2024 – The Faculty of Pharmacy at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) proudly concluded the International Summer Course on Natural Cosmetics: Exploring Indonesian Beauty. This intensive three-week program, held from July 15 to August 2, 2024, was designed to offer participants a deep dive into the development of natural cosmetics, leveraging Indonesia’s abundant natural resources and the global “Back to Nature” trend. The course featured two weeks of online lectures, followed by a week of on-site activities in Yogyakarta, providing a rich blend of theoretical and practical learning experiences.
The program attracted a diverse group of participants from both domestic and international backgrounds. A total of 70 participants from within Indonesia joined the course, with 20 attending on-site and 50 participating online. These participants hailed from a range of institutions, including UGM, Universitas Darussalam Gontor, Sekolah Tinggi Farmasi Mahaganesha, Politeknik Katolik Mangunwijaya, Mahasaraswati University Denpasar, STFI Bandung, and Universitas Wahid Hasyim. Internationally, the course drew 65 participants, with 14 attending on-site and 51 online. These participants represented institutions such as the University of Cyberjaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia from Malaysia, Mahidol University and the University of Phayao from Thailand, the University of Puthisastra from Cambodia, and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Vietnam, among others. Countries represented in the course included Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Egypt, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Tanzania, the Republic of China, and Iraq.
Throughout the course, participants engaged with a distinguished lineup of speakers. From Indonesia, 11 experts, including prominent figures such as Prof. Dr. Abdul Rohman and apt. Purwanto from UGM, shared their knowledge and expertise. Internationally, 13 speakers contributed to the program, including Dr.rer.nat. Sukanya Dej-adisai from Prince Songkla University in Thailand, Prof. Nazım Şekeroğlu from Gaziantep University in Turkey, and Prof. Enrique Barrajan Catalan from Universidad Miguel Hernandez in Spain. These speakers delivered lectures and guided discussions that covered a wide range of topics related to natural cosmetics, aligning with the course’s overarching theme.
The course began with an online opening ceremony on July 15, 2024, inaugurated by the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM. The event was attended by representatives from the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FKKMK) UGM, and other notable figures, setting a collaborative tone for the weeks to follow. The first two weeks focused on online lecturing sessions, where participants engaged in comprehensive discussions and learning activities, exploring various aspects of natural cosmetics. The second week featured a hybrid industrial lecture that connected participants with industry experts from L’Oréal Indonesia and Avoskin, along with beauty practitioners, enhancing the practical relevance of the course.
A significant highlight of the program was the hands-on workshop conducted on July 31, 2024, at UGM’s Laboratory of Pharmacognosy-Phytochemistry. Participants gained practical experience in creating natural cosmetic products, including soap, body lotion, and aromatherapy items, which complemented the theoretical knowledge gained during the online sessions. The final days of the course included a field trip, offering participants the opportunity to visit PT Victoria Care Indonesia TBK (Herborist) and Agradaya – Indonesian Herbs & Spices Artisan. These visits provided valuable insights into the local industry and the practical applications of natural cosmetic development in Indonesia.
The course concluded with a Cultural Night and Closing Ceremony on August 1, 2024, held at Balkondes Kembanglimus in Magelang. This event not only served as a celebration of the program’s success but also fostered camaraderie among participants from various countries and cultural backgrounds. The night was marked by cultural exchanges, the announcement of the best participants, and closing remarks by the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Collaboration, and Alumni Affairs of the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM.
The successful completion of the 2024 Summer Course underscores UGM’s commitment to providing world-class education and facilitating international exposure for its students. This program not only advanced participants’ knowledge in natural cosmetics but also strengthened global academic collaborations, furthering the internationalization of education at UGM. Moreover, the course aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 4: Quality Education, by offering high-quality educational opportunities, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by fostering international collaborations that contribute to global academic excellence and knowledge exchange. In the end, the summer course that raised the topic of “Exploring Indonesian Beauty” is also in line with SDG number 12 (Responsible Production) which can be seen from several materials presented by the speakers in the form of cosmetic manufacturing techniques that are responsible for the surrounding environment by not using chemicals in the production process that risk causing damage to nature.