Key ASEAN Academic Initiatives Officially Launched! -ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management and Joint Research Programme Underway-

Two major academic pillars activities of ASEAN Academic Network on Disaster Health Management have officially entered full-scale implementation:

These initiatives represent a significant step forward in strengthening evidence-based policymaking, promoting regional knowledge management and sharing, and enhancing the academic capacity of disaster health management across ASEAN Member States. Through these efforts, ASEAN aims to institutionalize learning from real-world responses and exercises, such as those developed under the ARCH Project, and to foster a network of experts working toward more resilient and coordinated health emergency responses in the region.

The ARCH2 Project, launched to support the implementation of the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management (ALD-DHM) (signed in 2017), plays a central role in turning regional commitments into action. As part of its mandate to operationalize the Plan of Action (POA) developed under the Declaration, the outcomes of the Project aligned with the ALD-DHM’s five priority areas. One of these priorities—Knowledge Management—has been specifically adopted as a core project output. Through initiatives such as academic publication, joint research, training curriculum development, and the documentation of regional practices, the Project is working to enhance evidence-based learning and institutional memory in the field of disaster health management across ASEAN.

As part of the Knowledge Management priority area outlined in the POA under the ALD-DHM, the following three key regional academic activities have been identified:

These initiatives are implemented through the ASEAN Academic Network on Disaster Health Management (AANDHM), a collaborative platform composed of academic and technical institutions from all ASEAN Member States. For successful execution, active inter-country collaboration is essential. To support this effort, the ARCH Project, in coordination with the ASEAN Institute for Disaster Health Management (AIDHM), plays a vital role in facilitating and supporting the implementation of these academic activities. Together, they work to strengthen regional knowledge-sharing mechanisms and promote evidence-based approaches to disaster health management across ASEAN.

Among the three main academic pillars of the Knowledge Management priority area, the ASEAN Academic Conference on Disaster Health Management was successfully held over two days, from October 18 to 19, 2023, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This inaugural conference brought together experts, practitioners, policymakers, and academic institutions from across ASEAN to share experiences, present research findings, and explore solutions in the field of disaster health management. It served as a key platform to promote regional academic exchange and reinforce the role of evidence in strengthening health emergency response systems. The conference is part of ongoing efforts by the AANDHM and is supported by the ARCH Project in collaboration with the AIDHM.
Related article: [JICA project news – ASEAN Academic Conference on Disaster Health Management (Japanese): https://www.jica.go.jp/oda/project/2004724/news/1536063_47065.html

Currently underway are two major academic activities under the Knowledge Management component of the ARCH2 Project: the preparation for the launch of the ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management (AJDHM) and the implementation of regional joint research. These initiatives have been the subject of extensive discussions within the Project Working Group (PWG) and the Steering Committee of the AANDHM (SC/AANDHM). The start of official activities is pending endorsement of the concept note at the upcoming ASEAN Health Cluster 2 meeting. In particular, the AJDHM is expected to serve as the official academic journal of the AANDHM. Its launch marks a crucial start-up phase, with the goal of establishing it as a regularly published journal that contributes to evidence-based policymaking and the promotion of academic excellence in disaster health management across the region.

To support the implementation of these academic initiatives, the ARCH Project conducted institutional visits to discuss detailed activity plans and strengthen collaboration with key partners involved in regional disaster health management.
As part of these efforts, the project team visited:

These consultations focused on the operational planning for the AJDHM and the development of Joint Research mechanisms. This academic initiative is being carried out with a clear focus on post-ARCH sustainability, aiming to ensure that ASEAN Member States and their respective institutions can independently manage, implement, and achieve outcomes without relying heavily on external support.
To this end, the project is shifting from direct implementation to a model based on delegated execution. Activities are being carried out through contractual arrangements with JICA country offices, allowing national institutions to take ownership of planning and operations. The role of the ARCH Project will be limited to providing strategic, targeted, and minimal support—only where necessary—to empower partners and strengthen local systems. This approach represents a crucial step toward building self-reliant, institutionalized mechanisms for regional academic collaboration in disaster health management.

- January 15–19, 2024: AIDHM–ARCH Project Coordination Meeting (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
AIDHM, established within Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, is taking the lead on three core academic initiatives under the ARCH Project framework:

Among these, the launch and continued publication of the AJDHM is a particularly ambitious and high-impact endeavor. Beyond producing the inaugural issue, the goal is to establish a sustainable and reputable academic journal, addressing challenges such as increasing visibility, ensuring academic rigor, and maintaining long-term consistency in quality and impact. As a national university with extensive experience in managing academic journals across various disciplines, UGM is well-positioned to take on this role. Its capacity to develop clear operational procedures and editorial processes makes it an ideal institutional partner for leading this initiative.
Additionally, UGM has been appointed as the lead institution for one of the two joint research themes:
"Experience of hospitals in ASEAN in conducting a self-assessment of the Hospital Safety Index." This research will be conducted in collaboration with institutions from Thailand, Vietnam, and other ASEAN Member States. As this marks the first joint research initiative under the ARCH Project, special support will be provided to UGM to ensure successful coordination and delivery of outcomes.

- February 20–24, 2024: Vietnam National Burn Hospital – ARCH Project Coordination Meeting (Hanoi, Vietnam)
The Project visited the Vietnam National Burn Hospital in Hanoi, which has been designated as the lead implementing institution for one of the two regional joint research themes: "Evaluating Current Medical Tool Kit and Practical Skills of EMTs in ASEAN Countries."
During the visit, detailed consultations were held to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated research process. Discussions covered key aspects such as:

This meeting marked a critical step in operationalizing the joint research component of the Knowledge Management priority area under the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management. The Vietnam National Burn Hospital, with its strong clinical and training background, will lead the study in collaboration with other ASEAN Member States.