The establishment of the Faculty of Nursing (FKp) at Universitas Airlangga originated from the initiation of the Diploma IV Program for Nurse Educators in November 1997, which was developed under the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga (FK UNAIR). The foundation of this program was driven by societal demands to enhance professional nursing services and was aligned with national policies on health workforce development in Indonesia, as outlined in the National Health System (Sistem Kesehatan Nasional – SKN).

From a geopolitical perspective, the Faculty of Medicine at Universitas Airlangga holds a strategic responsibility in developing human resources, particularly in nursing, within the Eastern Indonesia region. Therefore, its role is highly significant. As a reputable faculty with substantial and well-qualified human resources (medical personnel), FK UNAIR is well-positioned to support the implementation of higher education in nursing. The advancement of education at the undergraduate (bachelor’s) level is expected to provide students with learning experiences that foster and develop professional attitudes and competencies required of a “professional nurse.”

The establishment of the Nursing Science Study Program (Program Studi Ilmu Keperawatan – PSIK) within the Faculty of Medicine was the result of collaborative efforts among the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Health, and other relevant institutions, following a series of intensive workshops conducted since 1998. As a subsequent step, in December 1997, a Nursing Working Group was formed under the Health Sciences Consortium of FK UNAIR. The Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, was officially appointed by the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, through Decree No. 122/Dikti/Kep/1999 dated April 7, 1999, to organize the Bachelor Program in Nursing Science (Professional Nursing Education Program). On June 20, 2008, based on Rector Decree No. 5404/J03/OT/2008, the PSIK FK UNAIR was formally upgraded to become the Faculty of Nursing.

The implementation of the Professional Nursing Education Program (Program Pendidikan Ners) refers to the Decree of the Minister of National Education No. 045/U/2002, in which the core curriculum constitutes approximately 40–80% of the program. At PSIK–FK UNAIR, all core curriculum courses are fully implemented. The total credit units are determined based on several national regulations, including Ministerial Decrees No. 129/U/1999, 232/U/2000, and 045/U/2002 concerning the Higher Education Core Curriculum, as well as other relevant regulations related to the implementation of the Professional Nursing Education Program and the National Professional Certification Board (BNSP) standards for nursing (2006). In practice, higher education institutions are allowed to develop complementary or local content comprising approximately 40–60% of the institutional curriculum.