Yogyakarta, June 15, 2026 – The Faculty of Pharmacy at UGM has once again achieved a proud accomplishment. This achievement was secured by Austin Anderson, a student in the Professional Pharmacy Program (PSPA) at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, who represented UGM as a delegate in the Pharmacy Practice Challenge 2026, an individual competition held from May 2 to June 14, 2026.
The Pharmacy Practice Challenge is the first international competition initiated by the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF), a global pharmacy student organization based in Den Haag, the Netherlands, and open to all pharmacy students worldwide. This year, the Pharmacy Practice Challenge features the theme “Bridging the Gap Between Pharmacy Education and Real-World Practice,” in which the event specifically tests participants’ ability to identify critical issues surrounding pharmacy education and requires them to propose practical and innovative solutions to bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice in the field.
The competition was divided into two stages: a preliminary round, in which participants presented their ideas to a panel of expert judges, and a final round, which was held online via a Zoom virtual room on June 14, 2026. In the final round, Austin competed against selected finalists from various countries and continents, including representatives from Africa, India, New Zealand, and fellow Indonesian representatives.
The innovative idea that led Austin to capture the judges’ attention stemmed from his experiences with Interprofessional Education (IPE) during his undergraduate studies and professional internships. Recognizing gaps in IPE, specifically in the lack of integration and suboptimal implementation, Austin proposed a guide for developing and integrating IPE into the pharmacy curriculum. The action plan presented by Austin emphasized several crucial aspects, including the importance of understanding and collaboration among health professions, as well as consistency in the design and implementation of IPE in both academic and clinical settings. Through this innovation, Austin hopes that future pharmacists will be equipped with a comprehensive understanding of IPE, enabling them to bridge the gap between pharmaceutical theory and practice, particularly in interprofessional healthcare collaboration.
Austin’s success in initiating this curriculum integration idea is a tangible manifestation of the academic community at the UGM Faculty of Pharmacy’s support for the Sustainable Development Goals. This action plan directly contributes to the achievement of SDG 4 on Quality Education through efforts to refine the pharmacy education curriculum to make it more relevant to the challenges of the workforce. Furthermore, effective integration of interprofessional education in the classroom will result in the readiness of pharmacy professionals to provide collaborative and integrated health services, in line with the vision of SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being.
Writer : Gilang Editor : Fathul
