Strengthening Global Competence: Unhas Pharmacy Students Participate in TDTU Summer School Exchange Program 2026
Eight undergraduate students from the Pharmacy Study Program, Faculty of Pharmacy (FF), Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) participated in the Ton Duc Thang University (TDTU) Summer School Exchange Program, held from 26 January to 2 February 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The participating students were Ariel Apriansyah, M. Kahiril Ali Yahya, Cleo Darlene Eleanor Riedel, Anastasia Eugenia, Mutia Kaharuddin, Putri Ramadhani Bahar, Alfiah Fira, and Putri Septiani Basri.
This program forms part of UNHAS’ ongoing commitment to academic internationalization and global student engagement. Throughout the program, participants were exposed to a series of high-impact international academic activities designed to broaden scientific insight, enhance research perspectives, and foster cross-cultural understanding.
A key component of the program was the international lecture series, delivered by distinguished academics from UNHAS. Prof. Muhammad Aswad presented a lecture entitled “Combating Resistance with Antibiotic-Resistance Breaker: A Rational Drug Discovery”, highlighting rational drug discovery approaches to address the global challenge of antibiotic resistance, with particular emphasis on the concept of antibiotic-resistance breakers as an innovative therapeutic strategy.
In addition, Sukriani Kursia delivered an international lecture titled “Utilization of ATR-FTIR and Deep Learning for Detection of Microorganisms”. The lecture explored the integration of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and deep learning algorithms as a rapid and advanced method for microorganism detection, emphasizing its applications in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences.
The academic program was further enriched by the session “Insight from TDTU Researchers”, featuring PhD students from Taiwan and Ton Duc Thang University. During this session, the speakers shared their experiences in international research environments, interdisciplinary collaboration, and academic life as doctoral researchers, providing valuable perspectives for participating students.
Complementing the academic activities, participants also took part in a Vietnamese Traditional Music Instrument Workshop. This cultural session introduced students to traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, their historical and cultural significance, and hands-on practice, fostering deeper cultural appreciation and intercultural engagement.
Through participation in the TDTU Summer School Exchange Program 2026, undergraduate pharmacy students from UNHAS gained meaningful academic exposure, expanded international networks, and valuable cross-cultural experiences. The program is expected to strengthen students’ global competencies and contribute to the development of internationally minded graduates ready to engage in global academic and research communities.