Bandung, UPI
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), through its Directorate of Partnerships and International Affairs (Direktorat Kemitraan dan Urusan Internasional/DKUI), is advancing a strategic collaboration with Cicendo Eye Hospital, marking a significant step toward strengthening long-term synergy in education, research, and community service. The commitment was discussed in an online meeting on Wednesday (January 7, 2026), serving as a preparatory stage for a more comprehensive partnership.
The meeting also laid the groundwork for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), scheduled for January 31, 2026, coinciding with the 117th anniversary of Cicendo Eye Hospital. Although both institutions have maintained a partnership since 2020, program implementation began to accelerate in 2023 following the pandemic.
One of the flagship initiatives at the center of this collaboration is “Sekolahku Cicendo–UPI,” an innovative in-patient school model designed to ensure that hospitalized children continue to receive their right to education. Managed by UPI’s Special Education Study Program under the coordination of dr. Riksma Akhlan, M.Pd., the program delivers informal, creative learning activities aimed at supporting children’s psychosocial recovery during medical treatment.
Dean of the Faculty of Education (Fakultas Ilmu Pendidikan/FIP) UPI, Dr. Nandang Budiman, M.Si., emphasized the importance of expanding the program’s impact. “We are working to strengthen implementation through more inclusive learning approaches, additional psychological services, collaborative research, and internship opportunities for students,” he explained.
UPI’s Faculty of Medicine is also playing a vital role in the partnership. Dean Prof. Dr. Hamidie Ronald Daniel Ray, Ph.D., expressed readiness to contribute through promotive and preventive health initiatives. These include physical activity education to prevent degenerative diseases, early awareness programs on diabetic retinopathy—a condition that can lead to blindness if untreated—and research on children’s eye health to improve long-term quality of life.
Representatives from Cicendo Eye Hospital, including Legal and Public Relations Manager Ria Darmasari, S.IP., M.M., and Head of Child and Women Protection dr. Anne Susanty, SpA(K), M.Kes., welcomed the strengthened collaboration. They affirmed their commitment to translating the MoU into more technical cooperation agreements with relevant faculties at UPI.
The discussion was attended by leaders from both institutions. From UPI, there were the Director of DKI Jakarta University (DKUI), Pupung Purnawarman, M.S.Ed., Ph.D.; the Head of the National Partnership Division, Heri Setiyorini, Ph.D.; the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (FK), Prof. Dr. Hamidie Ronald Daniel Ray, M.Pd., Ph.D.; the Dean of the Faculty of Education (FIP), Dr. Nandang Budiman, M.Si.; the Vice Deans, Heads of Study Programs, and relevant staff. Meanwhile, Cicendo Eye Hospital was represented by the Legal and Public Relations Manager, Ria Darmasari, S.IP., M.M.; the Head of Child and Women’s Protection, Dr. Anne Susanty, SpA(K), M.Kes.; and the medical team and relevant staff.
This synergy is expected to be more than just a formal document, but also to have a real impact on society. Through education on child-friendly and inclusive hospitals, UPI and Cicendo Eye Hospital affirm their roles as pillars of public service based on humanitarian values and innovation.
Furthermore, this initiative strongly aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by ensuring access to inclusive learning for hospitalized children; SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, through integrated healthcare and preventive education; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by fostering meaningful collaboration between educational and healthcare institutions. (Ajeng)