A School-University Collaboration to Promote School Health and Physical Education in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Introduction School-university partnerships have been in existence for a very long time. Universities need schools as the location for teaching internships as well as providing participants for its research activity.1 Schools may have needs for an updated curriculum or teaching methods. However, individuals in schools can also face undiagnosed health-related issues, mostly unattended due to the lack of resources or knowledge. In this report, we will describe the efforts of our faculty—as the region’s educational center for graduating public health experts and physical education teachers—to contribute to school health by integrating health surveillance, research, and community service targeting the schools within our region of service. The unique ecosystem formed by our alumni network and the faculty also serves as an important strength as will be described and reflected on, in an attempt to formulate future strategies.