Advancing Food Safety in Indonesia

Advancing Food Safety in Indonesia: Master’s Program in Food Safety Conducts Focus Group Discussion on Curriculum Development

Bogor, August 2024 – The Master’s Program in Food Safety at IPB University, the pioneering post-graduate program of Food Safety in Indonesia, successfully conducted a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) titled “Achieving Food Safety in Indonesia through the Master’s Program in Food Safety: Developing a Responsive and Adaptive Curriculum” on August 1, 2024 at IPB Campus Baranangsiang, West Java. This significant event took place as part of the program’s ongoing efforts to fulfill accreditation requirements and ensure that its curriculum remains relevant, comprehensive, and aligned with the evolving demands of the food safety sector.

The FGD aimed to evaluate and update the vision, mission, objectives, strategies (VMTS), and syllabi of the program. The event served as a platform for critical reflection on the current VMTS and curriculum, engaging stakeholders in discussions to identify areas for improvement and consider the integration of contemporary issues in food safety education.

Key stakeholders in attendance included:

• Pak Hendro Kusumo, SP (Deputy for Standards Development, National Standardization Agency of Indonesia)
• Anas Ma’ruf, MKM (Director of Environmental Health, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia)
• Pak Ir Irwan Kurniawan, MTP (Quality Assurance Manager, PT Sang Hyang Perkasa)
• Victoria Valentina (Senior Scientific Regulatory Affairs, PT Frisian Flag Indonesia)
• Pak Dias Erfan, STP, MTP (Regulatory Affairs, APPNIA)
• Pak Nana Sudiana, STP (PT Nestle Indonesia)
• Stefanus Indrayana (PT ICBP – with representative note)
• Gilang (SAFF Solution, representing Formakepa – Forum of Food Safety Students)
• Asep Firman Nugraha (Firmenich, also representing Formakepa)
• Faculty experts from the Department of Food Science and Technology, IPB University, including Winiati Pudji Rahayu, Dr. Puspo Edi Giriwono, and Dr. Vallerina Armetha.
• IPB University representatives, including Slamet Budijanto (Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Technology), Dr. Eko Hari Purnomo (Head, Department of Food Science and Technology), and Dr. Siti Nurjanah (Secretary, Department of Food Science and Technology).

The discussions yielded several key insights and recommendations for the existing VMTS of the program. It was emphasized that the vision should be further sharpened, the mission refined to better address current needs, and strategies formulated to be more specific in achieving the enhanced vision. Furthermore, the FGD highlighted the importance of revising student recruitment criteria to ensure the program produces graduates with international competencies and reputations.

Regarding the curriculum, the stakeholders recommended maintaining the strengths of the current curriculum while incorporating contemporary topics such as food supply chain management, risk-based curriculum development, climate change, and strategic thinking, particularly in the context of risk assessment and management.

The event marked a significant step forward in the continuous improvement of the Master’s Program in Food Safety, underscoring the commitment of IPB University to delivering high-quality education that is responsive to the dynamic needs of the food safety sector in Indonesia and beyond.

Figure 1. Focus Group Discussion Attendants

Figure 2. Dr. Anas Ma’ruf, MKM (Director of Environmental Health, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia) giving advice for continuously incorporate current issues into the curriculum

For more information, please contact:
Secretariat of Food Safety Program

Department of Food Science and Technology

Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology
IPB Dramaga Campus

Email: ps_kpn@apps.ipb.ac.id

Instagram: @magisterkpnipb