On October 21, 2024, the Auditorium on the 9th Floor of Building C at Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, hosted a significant event: the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning (FTSP) Universitas Trisakti and the Faculty of Architecture at KU Leuven, Belgium. This agreement aims to strengthen academic collaboration in architecture, urban planning, and sustainable design, reinforcing both institutions’ commitment to global partnerships.

The event commenced with opening remarks from Prof. Dr. drg. Tri Erri Astoeti, M.Kes., FISDPH., FISPD (Vice Rector IV of Universitas Trisakti), Dr. Ir. A. Hadi Prabowo, MT (Dean of FTSP Universitas Trisakti), and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koen De Wandeler (Chair of KU Leuven’s Southeast Asia Regional Committee). After the signing ceremony, keynote presentations were delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koen De Wandeler and Arumi Zanira, S.Ars, MSc, an alumna of Universitas Trisakti and participant in the international multidisciplinary summer school. Their presentations focused on the theme: Process and Lessons Learned from the International Multidisciplinary Summer School: Systemic Design for Health – Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare Facilities Resilient to Infectious Disease Outbreaks and Natural Hazards.

Key topics covered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koen De Wandeler included:

• Systemic Thinking: An introduction to systems, ecosystems, characteristics, ways of thinking, and tools for systemic thinking.
• Health Systems: The impact of climate change on ecosystems, COVID-19 as a call to action, and the role of WHO – Téchne.
• Summer School Applications: Insights into the process of the 2023 Summer School, prospects for 2024, and potential expected outcomes.

Meanwhile, Arumi Zanira, S.Ars, MSc, presented research on gender inclusivity assessments in healthcare facilities, focusing on two case studies:

• Puskesmas Rawa Buntu (Indonesia): The overall inclusivity score dropped from 58.7% to 54.4%, reflecting challenges in achieving equitable healthcare services.
• Phu Xuan Commune Healthcare Centre (Vietnam): Although its score slightly decreased from 80.72% to 80.4%, this healthcare center demonstrated strengths in climate resilience, infection prevention, structural safety, and inclusivity.

As primary healthcare centers (PHC) play a critical role in public health systems, Arumi’s research emphasized the importance of inclusivity and social relevance in the design of healthcare facilities to mitigate disaster impacts.

This collaboration underscores the shared commitment to expanding knowledge and promoting sustainable development in health architecture, urban planning, and systemic design, while enhancing resilience in the face of global challenges.