From July 8-12, 2024, the Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology, IPB University successfully held a Visiting Professor program featuring Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahenderan Appukutty from the Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, Universiti Teknologi MARA. The program included various activities, such as a Studium General lecture on Sports Nutrition, a workshop on Nutrition and Physique Assessment of Athletes, discussions on sports nutrition research, and a review of the Semester Learning Plan (RPS) syllabus for undergraduate, postgraduate, and dietitian programs.
This program brought numerous benefits to all participants. For students, it was an invaluable opportunity to interact directly with an expert in Sports Nutrition, enriching their knowledge and experience, especially through the workshop on Nutrition and Physique Assessment of Athletes. For lecturers, it provided a forum to discuss and review the RPS syllabus, which will enhance the quality of education in the Department of Community Nutrition. Additionally, the administrative staff benefited from participating in the same workshop, gaining new insights related to the nutritional and physical assessment of athletes.
The presence of Associate Professor Dr. Mahenderan Appukutty, who has a Scopus H-index of 12 and is from a university ranked 50-100 in the QS WUR Ranking By Subject for Hospitality and Leisure Management, added significant value to this program. Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, as a partner, is expected to open up further opportunities for collaboration in both education and research in the future.
The series of events in the Visiting Professor program at the Department of Community Nutrition, IPB, started on Monday, July 8, 2024, with the Studium Generale lecture on Sports Nutrition for undergraduate and postgraduate programs conducted in a hybrid format. In this session, Dr. Mahenderan delivered a lecture on the Role of Nutrition in Athlete Performance and Achievement. Students and lecturers had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topic, which is expected to provide new inspiration and insights for the participants.
The following day, Tuesday, July 9, 2024, a workshop on Nutrition and Physique Assessment of Athletes was held. This workshop included both theoretical and practical sessions where participants were taught how to comprehensively assess the nutrition and physique of athletes. Dr. Mahenderan, as the primary speaker, shared knowledge on effective assessment and evaluation techniques for athletes. Meanwhile, Dr. Mury Kuswari from Universitas Esa Unggul, the second speaker, explained the periodization of nutrition for athletes. During the discussion and assignment session, participants were tasked with creating athlete periodization plans directly. This session was highly interactive, with participants actively asking questions and receiving feedback from Dr. Mahenderan and Dr. Mury Kuswari.
On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, a meeting with the department and faculty was held, followed by the signing of the Implementation of Arrangement and a hybrid research discussion on Sports Nutrition. This meeting also discussed various potential collaborations between Universiti Teknologi MARA and IPB University. The research discussion involved an in-depth review of Dr. Mahenderan’s past research projects and ideas for future research in the field of Sports Nutrition.
Thursday, July 11, 2024, focused on the review of the RPS (Semester Learning Plan) syllabus for the Sports Nutrition course in the Beta-Carotene Room. This session aimed to review and refine the Sports Nutrition course syllabus to ensure the relevance and quality of the material taught. Course lecturers actively participated in this discussion, sharing their experiences and views to improve the existing RPS.
The program concluded on Friday, July 12, 2024, with a Practical Athlete Assessment workshop in the Anthropometry Laboratory. This workshop provided participants the opportunity to apply the knowledge they had gained during the program by conducting direct assessments. Participants learned how to perform anthropometric measurements, body composition analysis, and physical fitness evaluations, all guided by Dr. Mahenderan. This workshop not only provided valuable practical experience but also enhanced participants’ abilities to conduct accurate nutritional and physical assessments.
This Visiting Professor program has had a significantly positive impact on all participants; thus, it is expected to improve the quality of education and research in the Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology, while also opening up opportunities for future collaboration.
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