From February 25th to 26th, 2025, the School of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Asian Universities Alliance, successfully hosted the 2025 AUA Academic Conference and Workshops on “SAFE Reproductive Health”. This event was supported by the Ministry of Public Health, the Reproductive Health Association of Thailand and the Chulalongkorn University’s Office of International Affairs and Global Network. Held at the Bhumisiri Mangkhalanusorn Building, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the event brought together more than 200 participants from over 50 institutions and 17 countries.
Themed around the acronym SAFE—Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Access to Comprehensive Healthcare, Freedom from Violence, and Equity—the two-day event highlighted the importance of reproductive health as a cornerstone of sustainable development and social justice across Asia. The conference also emphasized alignment with multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The event opened with remarks by Prof. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University, and Prof. Jian Liu, Secretary of the AUA. The keynote lecture was delivered by Dr. Moazzam Ali from the WHO, who discussed the transformative impact of contraception on women’s health. The plenary sessions on Day 1 covered critical themes including fertility resilience, sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer elimination, postpartum haemorrhage, and the use of artificial intelligence in reproductive health care. These sessions featured experts from leading institutions such as Universitas Indonesia, Peking University, Tsinghua University, National University of Singapore, and Universiti Malaya.
In the afternoon, early-career scholars presented their research through oral and poster sessions, showcasing innovations and challenges in maternal health, adolescent reproductive behavior, digital health solutions, and gender-based violence. The day concluded with a welcome reception and formal conference dinner, fostering networking and regional engagement.
Day 2 featured two parallel workshops: one focused on Violence Against Women (VAW) in Asia, and the other on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Challenges in Asia. Moderated by leading academics and WHO representatives, these sessions provided a space for dialogue, strategy-building, and exploring solutions grounded in local realities and global frameworks.
The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion moderated by Prof. Unnop Jaisamrarn, the Organizing Chairperson, highlighting key insights, research collaborations, and future teaching initiatives. The final session featured an award presentation recognizing outstanding oral and poster presentations, followed by closing remarks from Assoc. Prof. Chanchai Sittipunt, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
The conference also featured a hybrid component, enabling global access through online platforms, and all sessions were recorded for further dissemination. With 83 abstracts submitted and wide institutional representation, the 2025 AUA “SAFE Reproductive Health” Conference successfully fostered interdisciplinary cooperation and paved the way for future innovations in policy, education, and practice.
