Overseas Clinical Placement Opportunities
In 2026, a group of Midwifery students travelled to Jakarta, Indonesia, for an international internship that combined hands-on clinical learning with cultural immersion and international collaboration. Accompanied by Associate Professor Megan Cooper, the students spent five weeks working alongside healthcare professionals in hospital and community settings.
Diverse clinical environments
Students completed placements across a range of healthcare settings, including:
- Fatmawati Hospital, Jakarta
- Cikal Mulia Midwifery Clinics in Jakarta and Bogor
- Rumah Ros Budiman
These placements exposed students to highly complex clinical cases and a different healthcare context, broadening their understanding of maternal and newborn care.
Throughout the internship, students completed a significant number of Midwifery Practice Experiences (MPEs) and gained valuable clinical exposure, including participation in between two and four spontaneous vaginal births.
Future Healthcare Leaders
International placements provide much more than clinical experience. Students develop:
- cross-cultural communication skills
- adaptability and resilience
- global perspectives on healthcare delivery
- confidence in clinical decision-making
- professional networks across international healthcare settings
The Jakarta cohort represented The University of Queensland with professionalism and enthusiasm, serving as outstanding ambassadors for both UQ and the midwifery profession.
International Partnerships
The internship concluded with a celebration at Binawan University on 24 July 2026. Associate Professor Megan Cooper delivered a guest lecture, while students shared reflections on their experiences with an audience of university leaders, academic staff, healthcare partners and students.
The visit also created opportunities to strengthen relationships with Binawan University and participating clinical partners. Discussions explored future collaboration in education and research, as well as the potential development of student exchange opportunities.
Opportunities for Future Students
International clinical placements offer Nursing and Midwifery students the opportunity to experience healthcare in a global context while making meaningful contributions to communities abroad.
As UQ continues to build relationships with international healthcare and education partners, students can look forward to a growing range of opportunities to develop their clinical skills, broaden their perspectives and prepare for careers in an increasingly interconnected healthcare system.