Linnaeus University Doctoral Mobility Funds: Bridging Borders Between Sweden and Indonesia
With the support of Lnu funds for doctoral student mobility, Ester Jayadi, PhD student at the School of Business and Economics, have had the opportunity to collaborate with Syiah Kuala University (USK) and Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Indonesia.
— This collaboration has enriched my knowledge of both theoretical and practical aspects of preparedness, information systems, and performance management within the humanitarian supply chain context.
One of the activities was a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) titled “Integration of Information Systems for Humanitarian Supply Chain Performance Management.” The event aimed to identify information needs and design an effective system for managing humanitarian supply chain performance. It featured key practitioners from the Aceh Disaster Management Agency, Islamic Relief, the Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health Aceh, and the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center.
The discussion was met with enthusiastic responses, with participants actively engaging in discussions and providing valuable feedback. Dr. Safrizal Rahman MKas SpOT, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Syiah Kuala University, and Dr. Rina Suryani Oktari, S.Kep., M.Si, Vice Dean of Student, Alumni, and Partnership Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine, Syiah Kuala University, emphasized the importance of integrating fragmented information resources in the humanitarian supply chain through effective information systems.
Insights from Gadjah Mada University were particularly enlightening. Dr. Ir. Dina Ruslanjari, M.Si, Head of the Master’s Program in Disaster Management, highlighted issues such as power struggles between humanitarian organizations, the critical need for integrated information systems, and the importance of targeting larger populations in surveys. Dr. Retnadi Heru Jatmiko, M.Sc., Lecturer in the Department of Geographic Information Science, Head of the Remote Sensing Laboratory, and Academic Quality Assurance Manager for the Master’s Program in Disaster Management at the Graduate School, UGM, stressed the necessity for preparedness, such as risk assessments, and the standardization of information systems in the humanitarian supply chain.
During visits to Syiah Kuala and Gadjah Mada Universities, Ester established valuable connections with Indonesian institutions, gaining robust support from both universities.
— I engaged with around 500 local NGOs, 50 international NGOs, and governmental organizations across 38 provinces and 416 regencies through both physical and Zoom meetings. The data collected has been instrumental for my papers and dissertation, and it has thoroughly prepared me for upcoming conferences and journal submissions. This collaboration has significantly advanced my research and established a solid foundation for future partnerships and innovations in disaster management.