Academics from 13 Countries Learn About Family Resilience at IPB University
The 2025 Summer Course on Family and Consumer Sciences agenda brought together students and academics from 13 countries. They came to the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (IKK), Faculty of Human Ecology (Fema) at IPB University to learn about family resilience.
The 13 participating countries include Japan, Malaysia, Yemen, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Malawi, Pakistan, Sudan, Egypt, Mozambique, Afghanistan, and Indonesia. The event was officially opened by the Vice Dean of Fema for Resources, Cooperation, and Development, Prof Dodik Briawan.
Dr Rojanah Kahar, a speaker from Universiti Putra Malaysia, emphasized the importance of the family as a basic unit that must be protected legally and emotionally, “Families must stay together, no matter what. It is important for us to have true family marriages.”
Participants were invited to create genograms and conduct scenario simulations in groups, discussing various perspectives on family harmony in different social and cultural contexts.
In addition, Prof Megawati Simanjuntak presented the theme “Sustainability Starts at Home: Integrating Sustainable Practices in Family Life.” The Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences at IPB University emphasized the importance of the family’s role in shaping character, preventing stress, and implementing a sustainable lifestyle from an early age.
“Families can foster a sense of responsibility from childhood,” she said.
Another speaker, Dr Suwaibah binti Zakaria from the University of Malaysia Sabah, also highlighted the challenges of mental health in families. Seeing the enthusiasm of the participants, she said, “I feel that they are really following this program, so I hope they can learn from it.”
This series of activities enriched the participants’ knowledge about family resilience in various dimensions, ranging from the foundations of marriage, social support, mental health, to sustainable living practices within the family. (*/dh) (IAAS/LAN)
