4 June 2024: An international volunteer activity was held involving 38 special needs students from Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri 8 (SLBN 8) located in North Jakarta, Indonesia. This event, organized in collaboration with Universitas Indonesia (UI), was a key component of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Centre for Occupational Therapy Studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam and the Occupational Therapy Study Program at Universitas Indonesia (UI). Additionally, it was a collaborative effort with the Jakarta Special Capital Region Government’s Education Department and Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri 8 (SLB-08).
A total of 15 fourth-semester students from the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (HS245) program at UiTM Puncak Alam, accompanied by lecturer Erna Faryza Mohd Poot from the Centre for Occupational Therapy Studies, Faculty of Health Science, represented UiTM in this activity. The event also saw participation from students and staff of the Occupational Therapy Study Program, Faculty of Vocational Studies, Universitas Indonesia.
The volunteer activity, dubbed ‘Occupational Therapy Olympic Day,’ focused on therapeutic games designed to aid medical rehabilitation, emphasizing sensory perception (touch), cognitive abilities, gross motor skills, and fine motor skills.
With international involvement from UiTM students, the program also served as a platform for cultural and knowledge exchange between the two countries. It provided an opportunity for mutual learning and understanding of different perspectives, offering valuable experiences while serving the community. This initiative lays the groundwork for broader cooperation between Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and its international partners.