The Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Diponegoro (FKM UNDIP) through the Bachelor of Public Health Program specializing in Tropical Disease Epidemiology and Health Entomology successfully held a series of Workshop on Pest Management activities on September 24, 25, and 26, 2025. This activity presented international expert Prof. Ts. Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and three members of his team.
The series of activities was opened on September 24, 2025 through a public lecture attended by more than 100 participants consisting of S1 FKM UNDIP students from the specialization in Tropical Disease Epidemiology and Health Entomology, S2 students, international students, and students from various universities such as Semarang State University, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta Health Polytechnic, Surabaya Health Polytechnic, and Ngudi Waluyo University. The event began with remarks from the Head of the Epidemiology and Health Entomology Section of FKM UNDIP, Dr. Ir. Martini, M.Kes. Followed by an official opening by the Vice Dean II FKM UNDIP, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mursyid, M.Si. The material presented included Urban Pest Ecology and Identification; Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Urban Environments; Regulation, storage and transportation, ISO Indonesia Pest control; and Digital & IoT Tools for monitoring. The discussion took place actively, marked by the high participation of participants in the question and answer session. To measure understanding, an interactive quiz with prizes was also held which further added to the enthusiasm of the participants.
On September 25, 2025, the activity continued with a hands-on practice at the FKM UNDIP Laboratory. Participants gain hands-on experience in the application of molecular biology for pest species identification, ranging from the introduction of PCR, qPCR, and DNA barcoding, DNA extraction techniques, gel electrophoresis, to interpretation of species identification results. Through this session, students not only understand theory, but also gain practical skills in modern laboratory techniques that are the foundation of research in both epidemiology and health entomology.
The series of workshops continues on September 26, 2025 with International Community Service activities in Tugurejo Village, Tugu District, Semarang City. Together with international students from Nigeria, Kiribati, and Malaysia, the community received education and hands-on practice on pest control in residential environments, especially cockroaches, termites, bed bugs, and other insects that have the potential to interfere with health. Several residents’ houses were chosen as simulation locations so that the material could be directly applied in the field. Residents looked enthusiastic when practicing simple techniques to overcome pest problems in their environment.
The activity which was held for three days was not only to provide new knowledge for students, but also to be part of the World Class University (WCU) Program of Universitas Diponegoro. Through this program, UNDIP continues to strive to improve its academic reputation while expanding its international collaboration network. This workshop also resulted in an important agreement between FKM UNDIP and USM to explore further cooperation, including international internship opportunities, collaborative research, and academic exchanges.
The series of Workshops on Pest Management has succeeded in proving that cross-border collaboration can bring real benefits, both for the development of science and community empowerment. With this spirit, FKM UNDIP is increasingly steadily taking steps as a globally competitive faculty.