Online Fikes News– The Public Health Study Program of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta was honored to receive a visit from Adjunct Professor Robert Philip Buckley. He is a leading academic from the Faculty of Philosophy at McGill University, Canada, who has expertise in phenomenological methodology. This visit is an important moment for the Public Health Study Program because it provides an opportunity to broaden insights in research approaches, especially phenomenology, which is still rarely used in the field of public health in Indonesia, the visit took place on December 11 and 13, 2024.

First Day: Discussion and Collaboration with Public Health Study Program Lecturers

On December 11, 2024, the first day's activities took place in the form of discussions and collaborations between Professor Robert Philip Buckley and lecturers from the Public Health Study Program. The event, which was held in the main discussion room, was opened by the Head of the Public Health Study Program, Raihana Nadra Alkaff, PhD. In her remarks, Raihana Nadra Alkaff, PhD said that Professor Robert's presence was a golden opportunity for lecturers to broaden academic and methodological perspectives in public health research.

This discussion focused on exploring the use of phenomenological methodology in health research. Professor Robert explained that phenomenology is an approach that aims to understand human experience in depth by uncovering the meaning behind the phenomena experienced by individuals or groups. In his view, phenomenology is not only limited to the study of philosophy but is also relevant to be applied in the field of public health, especially to understand complex issues such as patient experience, the social impact of disease, and community interactions with health policies.

"The phenomenological approach allows us to explore dimensions of experience that are often overlooked in quantitative research. This is important to enrich our understanding of health issues that are highly contextual and personal," said Professor Robert.

The lecturers who attended were very enthusiastic in the discussion. They asked about how this method could be integrated into their research which has so far been dominated by quantitative approaches. This discussion also gave birth to ideas for research collaborations that are expected to be realized in the near future.

Day Two: Public Lecture on Phenomenological Approach in Health Research

On December 13, 2024, Professor Robert gave a public lecture to Public Health students who were taking the Advanced Research Methodology course. The lecture was held in the faculty auditorium and attended by more than 60 students and several lecturers.

In his lecture, Professor Robert explained in detail the basics of the phenomenological approach, including its history, main principles, and its application in research. He also emphasized that phenomenology requires researchers to have a deep sensitivity to the experiences of research subjects.

"Phenomenology is not just a method, but also a perspective that requires researchers to let go of initial assumptions in order to truly understand the meaning felt by research subjects. This is both the challenge and the beauty of this approach," said Professor Robert.

In the context of public health, he gave concrete examples of how phenomenology can be used to explore the experiences of patients living with chronic diseases, the challenges faced by health workers in serving the community, and the social dynamics in implementing health policies. According to him, the phenomenological approach can complement other research methods to produce more holistic findings.

The students seemed enthusiastic in attending this lecture. One of the students, Tiara Cahayaningrum, stated that this lecture opened up new perspectives for her in understanding research methodology. “The material presented yesterday regarding phenomenology was explained in depth but still understandable. Through this explanation, I came to understand the importance of having an understanding of phenomenology in order to start conducting research. In addition, I also came to understand that this phenomenology is closely related to our sensitivity in understanding the environment. Prof. Phil explained it casually and made many real-life analogies so that the material was conveyed well and easy to understand,” said Tiara.

Attracting Academics and Encouraging Research Development

Professor Robert Philip Buckley's visit not only provided new insights, but also motivated lecturers and students to further explore phenomenological methodology. Although its use in public health research is still limited, the perspective shared by Professor Robert shows the great potential of phenomenology to enrich research, especially in issues that require a multidimensional approach.

In addition, Professor Robert's experience in applying phenomenology in various fields, including in the formulation of public policy, was an inspiration for the participants. He emphasized the importance of openness to various methodological approaches to produce more meaningful and applicable research.

The Head of the Public Health Study Program, Raihana Nadra Alkaff, PhD, expressed her hope that this visit would be the beginning of a closer collaboration between UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and McGill University. "We hope that this visit will not only have an impact on increasing the capacity of lecturers and students, but also open up opportunities for international collaboration in the field of research," said Raihana, PhD.

With the end of this visit, the Public Health Study Program of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah is increasingly optimistic to develop phenomenology-based research and make it one of the strengths in academic contributions in the field of public health. (zr)