Prospective Health Workers Need a Global Perspective to Face Changes in Healthcare Services
The increasingly open development of healthcare services means that midwifery professionals can no longer rely solely on clinical competence. Prospective midwives are also required to understand women’s needs comprehensively, communicate across cultures, and adapt to differences in healthcare systems and practices.
This need has prompted universities to expand the international experience of midwifery students. Universitas Binawan, for example, is strengthening learning with a global perspective through collaboration with The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.
The collaboration is realised, among other things, through an International Internship programme and an Indonesia-Australia midwifery practice exchange. The programme gives students the opportunity to see first-hand the differences in midwifery practice while understanding how women’s needs form an important part of care.
Associate Professor at The University of Queensland, Dr Megan Cooper PhD, said that midwifery practice is fundamentally not only about clinical aspects, but also the ability to understand women’s needs throughout their health journey.
“Midwifery is fundamentally about understanding what women need and supporting them throughout their journey. Learning from different countries allows us to reflect on our own practice, understand different perspectives, and identify what we can learn from each other,” said Megan.
Megan shared this perspective in a Guest Lecture entitled “Midwifery in Practice: What Women Really Need – Lessons from Australia and Indonesia” held by Universitas Binawan. The event served as a space for the exchange of knowledge and midwifery practice experience between Indonesia and Australia.
In the session, Universitas Binawan students were invited to understand midwifery practice in Australia, including the role and responsibilities of midwives as well as the challenges in providing care centred on women’s needs.
The exchange of experience did not only take place in the classroom. Previously, five students from The University of Queensland took part in an International Internship in Indonesia, gaining practical experience at two independent midwifery practices in Jakarta.
This experience then became the basis for a sharing session that brought together the perspectives of students and practitioners from both countries. Differences in health systems, culture, and the characteristics of community needs formed part of the learning for students.
Vice Rector of Universitas Binawan for Governance, Resources, and Strategic Partnerships, Farouk Abdullah Alwyni, MA, MBA, ACSI, CDIF, said that international experience is important to prepare students for an increasingly global health world.
“International collaboration is not just about bringing institutions together or presenting perspectives from other countries. What is more important is how students get the opportunity to learn from real experience, understand differences in practice, and see how their competencies can be applied in a broader context,” said Farouk.
According to him, this experience is expected to build a global perspective while strengthening students’ readiness to contribute to the health sector.
Midwifery education at UQ itself integrates academic learning, clinical skills development, simulation, and clinical placement experience. This approach gives students an insight into the importance of connecting academic knowledge with practical experience.
Through the Indonesia-Australia experience exchange, Universitas Binawan students not only gain insight into midwifery practice in another country. They are also encouraged to reflect on practice in Indonesia and understand the importance of woman-centred care, communication, cultural awareness, and the ability to adapt in service delivery.
For Universitas Binawan, strengthening international experience is part of efforts to build a global academic network while expanding students’ learning space. Similar collaborations are expected to continue to develop and provide benefits for students, academics, and the development of midwifery practice in Indonesia and Australia.