This training was collaboration between the Australian government (AusAID Australian Leadership Awards Fellowships) and the Indonesian Association of Veterinary Epidemiology (AEVI). There were 15 training participants in the beginning but unfortunately approaching departure 1 person could not participate. Participants were epidemiologists from various regions in Indonesia. There were 5 representatives from Disease Investigation Centers in Medan, Lampung, Yogyakarta, Bali, and Banjar Baru, one participant from the Quality Control and Animal Drug Certification Agency (BPMSOH) in Bogor, one participant from the Veterinary Pharmacy Center (Pusvetma) in Surabaya, 2 participants from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Bogor Agricultural University (FKH-IPB), one participant from the Livestock Service Office of Badung District in Bali, and 3 people from the Center for Indonesian Veterinary Analytical Studies (CIVAS), a non-government organization. The training was held from June 22 until July 12, 2009.

In the first week, training was conducted in University of Sydney in Camden focusing on the use of spatial epidemiology and risk-based surveillance to support decisions on biosecurity policy for 4 days. The training material was “Geographic Information System and Spatial Epidemiology” by Professor Michael Ward. Included in it were topics on Disease Mapping, Data Visualization, Spatial Risk Factor, Disease Surveillance, Geographic Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and Data Collection Practices. The second training material was “Surveillance, Risk-Based Surveillance (RBS) and Targeted Sampling in RBS” by Dr. Jenny-Ann Toribio. Participants also visited related laboratories in the University of Sydney and other facilities at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute.

In the second week, participants visited the Department of Agriculture, Fishery, and Forestry in Canberra. At the department, participants learned about management of government policies and biosecurity for disease prevention and mitigation. After that, participants also visited the Indonesian Embassy. In the following days, participants followed a three day short course on Introductory Molecular Techniques in Gold Coast, Queensland. Course topics were Introduction to Molecular Techniques by Joanne Edmondston from Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease (AB-CRC) and Application of Molecular Epidemiology by Petra Mullner from Massey University, New Zealand.

Participants also attended the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists’ Science Week and participated in the Scientific Meeting of the Epidemiology Chapter and the College Awards Dinner. In the Scientific Meeting, participants listened to presentations of epidemiology studies. Within that meeting, 2 training participants, Albertus Teguh Muljono, DVM and Dr. Anak Agung Gde Putra, DVM, had the chance to give their presentation on “NGO Involvement in the Implementation of National Strategies for HPAI Control in Indonesia” and “Outbreak of Rabies in Bali: Epidemiological aspects”, respectively.

In the last week, participants attended training at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries in Orange. The theme of the training was “Use of Risk Assessment to Support Decisions on Biosecurity Policy and Operational Implementation of Biosecurity Policy”. Here participants received materials on risk analysis, risk management and risk assessment from the experts themselves; Dr. Bruce Christie, Dr. David Jordan, Dr. Barbara Moloney, and other staffs.