Culture and Health system Adaptation of virtual Patients as collaborative learning eResources SouthEast Asia (Project Number: 101178356). Connects top institutions to innovate and advance healthcare education in Southeast Asia.
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University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia is Malaysia’s oldest public university, located in Kuala Lumpur. It was founded on 28 September 1905 in Singapore as the King Edward VII College of Medicine. On 8 October 1949, it became the Universiti Malaya with the King Edward VII College of Medicine and Raffles College merger. UM consistently ranks among the top universities in Asia and globally. Universiti Malaya is committed to conducting teaching and learning, carrying out research and providing quality services globally, generating and enhancing knowledge through continuous improvement efforts to benefit all stakeholders, especially Universiti Malaya’s students.
Universiti Malaya has strong support for digital education implementation. At the university level, eLearning policy and support is available from the Academic Strategic Planning Department which has a team of instructional designers lead by a Head of eLearning and which has produced courses for the public hosted on the Futurelearn platform. At the Faculty of Medicine, there is an eLearning division under the UMeHealth Unit which has had experience with previous ERASMUS eLearning projects including ENEA SEA for pediatric eLearning courses (https://www.enea-sea.eu/ ) and ACoRD for reusable eLearning objects (https://acord-project.eu/). The team at UM has experience with developing and implementing a homegrown virtual patient software (MyViP@UM) in the medical undergraduate problem-based learning syllabus. UM is the main coordinator of the CHAPTER-SEA virtual patient project.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia is a leading research university in Malaysia, consistently ranked among the top universities in the country and the region. Established in 1931 as the School of Agriculture, it has evolved into a comprehensive university offering diverse programs across multiple disciplines while maintaining its original strength in agricultural sciences. UPM is renowned for its strength in agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine, forestry, food science and technology, engineering, medicine, and economics. The university employs innovative teaching methodologies and emphasizes hands-on experience to produce graduates who are not just academically proficient but also industry-ready. As a research university, UPM has established numerous centers of excellence and research institutes that drive innovation and knowledge creation. The university actively collaborates with industry partners and international institutions to address global challenges through research. UPM consistently ranks among the top 150 universities in the QS World University Rankings and holds strong positions in subject-specific rankings. The university is also a member of several prestigious international university networks and has established partnerships with over 300 institutions worldwide.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia (FMHS, UPM), has made great strides in adopting e-learning and digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning. Our medical school curriculum has successfully integrated online learning components, allowing students flexibility and accessibility in their studies. Students and lecturers have access to the online platform through Putra Blended Learning System an Assistive Technology (PutraBLAST) which enables asynchronous learning through recorded lectures, online discussions, assignments and quizzes. This allows self-paced and mobile learning for students by providing feedback on activities and assessments in virtual class. The development of digital materials varies from screen recordings, video-based quizzing, video editing, animated videos, and infographic based on educators’ creativity and engagement. UPM implements blended learning through supportive and replacement models enabling interactive, student-centered teaching both face-to-face and online for maximized flipped classrooms. UPM launched Putra Massive Open Online Course (PutraMOOC) in 2014 as a free, open-access online learning platform offering video lectures, activities, and assessments across various fields of study including topics for medical curriculum. A subset of this course is the Micro-credentials, introduced in 2019, as an e-learning system to provide recognition for the acquisition of specific knowledge, skills, and competencies in a stepwise manner, implemented for an extend period. Following the establishment of the National Inclusive Open Educational Resources (iOER) by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) in 2021, UPM took a step to implement Putra Inclusive Open Educational Resources (PutraOER) to support the creation, accessibility, adaptation, and redistribution of OER for all registered students in UPM. In 2023, UPM launched Self-Instructional Materials (SIM), designed to be a comprehensive learning experience in a self-directed manner, differing from traditional classroom-based instruction, allowing students to individualize their learning process. The faculty also utilizes virtual and augmented reality (VR / AR) to simulate clinical environments and provide medical students immersive, experiential learning and safe digital clinical exposure. Leveraging faculty expertise in creating e-learning objects and available infrastructure, UPM's virtual patient simulations will enhance medical education through interactive scenarios to strengthen skills, produce future-ready doctors and advance the programme.
Taylor's University (TU), Malaysia is the No. 1 private university in Southeast Asia, ranked #251 in the QS World University Rankings 2025. This ranking places the university among the top 1% of global universities. Additionally, the university is ranked No. 36 in Asia in the QS Asia University Rankings 2025 exercise. Taylor’s continues to play a strong role in developing Malaysia’s human resource capital, and boasts 100,000-strong alumni, many of whom have become leaders in their respective fields.
Taylor's University is highly committed to teaching and learning innovations. The institution's recognition through awards like the Gold Award at the QS Reimagine Education Awards and several awards in the International University Carnival on E-Learning highlights its dedication to excellence. The emphasis on e-learning activities, supported by a comprehensive policy and a dedicated e-Learning instructional design team, showcases Taylor's University's proactive approach to integrating technology into education. In the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, the School of Medicine and Pharmacy's use of technology tools like BodySwaps, Complete Anatomy, Organon, Nanome, Teaching with Schrodinger, reusable learning objects, and MyDispense demonstrates a commitment to enhancing the learning experience. These tools cover a broad spectrum, from teaching soft skills to hands-on medical and pharmacy practices. The recent expansion by TU into the virtual world of XR (Extended Reality) through the launch of the VORTEX XR Lab is a significant step. Leveraging XR technology can provide a more immersive and interactive learning environment, especially for clinical teaching within the medicine and pharmacy programmes. The opportunity to utilise virtual patient cases developed by EU partners can further enhance the educational experience and foster interprofessional learning among students. This will undoubtedly prepare students for the dynamic and evolving landscape of healthcare and medicine.
Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia established in 1949 in Yogyakarta, is one of Indonesia’s most prestigious and comprehensive public universities. As a leading institution of higher education, UGM is committed to empowering young people from across Indonesia and the world to develop themselves and reach their full potential. The university maintains an extensive network of partnerships with national and international educational institutions, research centres, government bodies, NGOs, and industries to support academic collaboration and innovation.
Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada has a range of expertise in international project management and digital education implementation. The Department of Nursing, consists of Basic and Emergency Nursing, Paediatric and Maternity Nursing, Psychiatry and Community Nursing; and the Medical Surgical Nursing. Multidisciplinary team of the department is experienced in patient simulation, clinical skills, e-learning and interprofessional education. The department has been involved in various international collaborative projects including TNE Nurse UKIND Going Global Partnership funded by British Council and Linnaeus Palme funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. At the faculty level, more collaboration and cooperation initiatives are established with national, regional to international bodies. The involvement of FMPHN UGM in the CHAPTER-SEA project will improve the project’s educational impact, while also providing a faculty development to the institution.
Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta (UIN Jakarta), Indonesia is a prominent public university that integrates Islamic studies with modern sciences. It was formed from the formation of the Akademi Dinas Ilmu Agama (ADIA) on June 1, 1957. On August 24, 1960, through Government Regulation No. II of 1960, ADIA merged with PTAIN Yogyakarta to become IAIN al-Jamiah al-Hukumiyah. By the Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia No. 49 of 1963, dated February 25, 1963, the Jakarta branch of IAIN became IAIN al Jamiah al Hukumiyyah Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. The change in status from IAIN to UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta was officially completed on May 20, 2002, based on Presidential Decree No. 031 of 2002. From that point onward, the integration of religious and general sciences became UIN Jakarta's primary mission, including the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2004, marking a significant milestone in realizing the integration of these fields. UIN Jakarta offers multidisciplinary programs across social sciences, humanities, health, and natural sciences, aiming to produce graduates who are intellectually competent and ethically grounded. The university continues to expand its academic reach and collaborate globally to address contemporary challenges in education, research, and society.
Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, started e-learning implementation in 2018 for students' problem-based learning and basic clinical skills tutorials. Reinforced by the need of the pandemic situation, in 2020, the Faculty of Medicine accelerated e-learning applications. All applications that Faculty of Medicine had until today are: 1) ICLAS: Integrated Centre for Learning Assessment System (MCQs Computer Based Testing (CBT), OSCE and SOCA (Students Oral Case Analysis) exam application); 2) ICSAN: Integrated Center of System Administration (ICSAN 4S- Molecular Service Laboratory, ICSAN 4E- Medical Education Laboratory); 3) INSAN: Interactive System for Academic Network (Learning Management System for students), 4) SIROT: System of student Online Rotation (Students' rotation mapping); 5) ISTIQOMA: Integrated System of Internal Quality Development in Medical Faculty (faculty quality assurance system), 6) ANLAGE: Anatomy Learning Page (videos, pictures, and quizzes for learning anatomy), 7) Basic Clinical Skills (BCS) for Musculoskeletal System (anatomical mapping in musculoskeletal system).
Karolinska Institute (KI), Sweden is a leading medical university located in Stockholm. It is known for its high-impact research and education in health and life sciences, dedicating itself to medical education and research since 1810. KI’s vision is to advance knowledge about life and strive towards better health for all.
The research group within KI taking part in the CHAPTER-SEA project is the MINT team. Medical educational research is an interdisciplinary field that investigates learning at the individual and system levels in both formal education and healthcare. Educational encounters are defined as situations where the student and teacher/supervisor/professional meet and interact for the purpose of learning. The MINT team is interested in analyzing interactions and methods related to learning in healthcare and designing technology to support these. Much of our research uses a design science methodology that can involve both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Jagiellonian University (JU) in Kraków, Poland is the oldest university in the country and one of the oldest in Europe, which currently has more than 35,000 students and doctoral candidates. Eminent researchers and state-of-the-art infrastructure make the JU one of the leading Polish scientific institutions, collaborating with major academic centers from around the world. The Jagiellonian University Medical College (JUMC), which is a part of JU, comprises of three faculties: Medicine, Pharmacy, and Health Sciences. It prides itself on a student body of 5,500, and a plethora of available programs such as long-cycle master's programs, first and second-cycle programs, postgraduate programs, and Doctoral School. The Faculty of Medicine also includes the School of Medicine in English, which offers medicine and dentistry programs taught in English.
Jagiellonian University has extensive experience in international cooperation in the field of digital education with a special focus on virtual patients (VPs). In the European project iCoViP (icovip.eu), a close collaboration between the Department of Bioinformatics and Telemedicine and the Department of Medical Education at JU resulted in the creation of a multilingual and open-access collection of 200 VPs, as well as developed a comprehensive VP curriculum implementation guideline that helps to adapt and integrate VP collections in different contexts. Other European projects involving this collaboration, such as DID-ACT (did-act.eu) or BCIME (bcime.upjs.sk), dealt with the related design of a blended learning longitudinal curriculum in clinical reasoning, which is the main target skill to be trained by VPs, and the technical infrastructure to build curricula in medical education. JU has extensive experience in research in the area of technology-enhanced learning. For instance, a systematic review with meta-analysis of VPs simulation, led by a JU representative (www.jmir.org/2019/7/e14676) allowed to collect know-how related to the structure and efficient use of this education technology. In another study, the team from JU, through a framework synthesis, contributed to building guidelines for the integration of VPs in health professions curricula (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-024-05719-1). JU has recently opened a large Centre for Innovative Medical Education equipped with state-of-the-art medical simulation infrastructure. Students of different health professions at different stages of their education are trained there by highly qualified faculty members. VPs are part of the educational activities offered by the simulation center. This has the potential to leverage international collaboration with instructors skilled in facilitating workshops related to new technologies in medical education and experienced in conducting evaluation studies.
CHAPTER SEA: Advancing the Use of Virtual Patients in Southeast Asia
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author or authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Foundation for the Development of the Education System. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
