The Honourable
Leaders and Members of the Board of Trustees,
Leaders and Members of the Academic Senate,
Professors,
Leaders of ITB,
Academic Community and Educational Staff,
Students, Alumni, Distinguished Guests,
and all stakeholders in Technical Higher Education in Indonesia.
Good morning, peace be upon you,
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
First, let us offer praise and gratitude to God Almighty for His blessings and grace upon all of us. We are in good health and can attend the Institut Teknologi Bandung's open session this morning. I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend this open session.
Today, on July 3, 2024, we celebrate the 104th anniversary of Higher Technical Education in Indonesia. Since its inception, PTTI has significantly contributed to the nation's progress. Entering the era of Independence, PTTI has positioned higher technical education as a pillar of independence and a driving force for national progress. The pioneers of PTTI believed that advancing and mastering science and technology are crucial for the nation's progress and sovereignty. Together with other institutions, PTTI fulfils the mandate of the State Constitution, as stated in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution, Paragraph 4, "To Educate the Life of the Nation."
As the oldest technical higher education institution, the Institut Teknologi Bandung has stood the test of time and led the way in the evolution of education, development, and mastery of science and technology (IPTEK). ITB has been a pioneer since its early days, offering a comprehensive curriculum encompassing mathematics and natural sciences, various engineering fields, planning, arts and design. But its vision continued. In subsequent developments, ITB expanded its scope to include social sciences and humanities, such as business and management, entrepreneurship, development studies, public policy, and socio-technology studies. This multidisciplinary approach, which has evolved in line with the increasing interconnection between fields of science and technology and between technological advancements, cultural developments, social dynamics, economic growth, and environmental changes, is a testament to ITB's commitment to innovation and progress.
Respected Stakeholders in Technical Higher Education,
Distinguished Guests,
In the past century, science and technology have developed rapidly. During this period, significant changes and disruptions have occurred in global societies. Today, we enter the era of Industry 4.0, Society 5.0, and digital transformation. International meetings are actively organized to develop joint agendas on climate change, the Anthropocene, energy transition, food/water security, green/blue economy, sustainable development, and global/regional security. Highly dynamic economic and political conditions are unfolding in various parts of the world. The interconnection between the advancement of science and technology on one hand and social, political, economic, and environmental changes on the other is becoming increasingly tight in every problem we face. We no longer deal with the development of science and technology on one side and socio-economic-environmental dynamics on the other. Still, instead, we are dealing with socio-technological assemblages. All these changes and dynamics, in turn, present challenges in the administration of higher education, primarily technical higher education.
From a conventional perspective, we consider science and technology as a result of research in laboratories, higher education institutions, or research institutions. This science and technology are transmitted through classroom teaching, seminars, or innovation diffusion. This is known as the 'linear' perspective. Today, many believe that the linear perspective is no longer adequate. Research and development of science and technology can no longer be seen as activities isolated from social/economic dynamics. Outside the campus, companies are now developing science and technology through cross-country innovation networks. In various countries, government institutions implement agendas that promote the development and utilization of science and technology through public-private partnerships. Increasingly, local communities and NGOs are initiating the development and use of science and technology for climate change adaptation or promoting green innovation. Equally important, with digital media, netizens' exchange and circulation of information about science and technology are becoming more widespread.
In other words, the development and utilization of science and technology are no longer exclusively associated with higher education institutions. Some circles mention that today's research/development of science and technology has entered the era of post-normal science, characterized by three things: i) an increasing diversity of stakeholders in science and technology; ii) these interests are becoming more significant; iii) participation of various parties in the development/utilization of science and technology is increasing. Science and technology are becoming increasingly important and influential in human life. Still, higher education institutions no longer dominate in determining the direction of science and technology development and utilization. In such a situation, an essential question for us is: will higher education institutions be able to increase their impact on society in the future?
Distinguished Guests,
In a book entitled "Universities as Engines of Economic Development," published in 2020, it is concluded that universities will be able to increase their impact on society if they establish closer interactions and collaborations with various partners in society. To have an impact on society, higher education institutions cannot remain merely centres of excellence but must also become centres of relevance. In the future, higher education institutions should not just act as agents of knowledge but need to become agents of knowledge exchange, transforming from centres to hubs. The basic assumption here is that knowledge development occurs everywhere, both on and off campus. Second, to achieve value creation, what is needed is not just knowledge itself but knowledge exchange, conducted consciously and systematically for value creation.
To conduct systematic knowledge exchange, systematic and continuous efforts are needed to match the needs of university partners with the outcomes produced by the universities. This involves processes that cross disciplinary boundaries and integrate education, research, community service, and innovation programs. Matching is not a static phenomenon but dynamic and living.
Generally, university outputs include graduates with specific competencies, fundamental research results, theories/models, experimental data, prototypes, designs, and various methods. Knowledge exchange involves all these outputs as potential solutions. However, the relationship between 'problem' and 'solution' is unlike static one-on-one mapping. Problems must be explored and understood through interaction and idea exchange involving various parties, and solutions are sought, tested, and implemented through the same process. Real-world problems do not recognize disciplinary boundaries. Therefore, issues must be explored and understood with a cross-disciplinary approach, and solutions to these problems require integrated outputs. For this, a conducive atmosphere is needed for cross-disciplinary dialogue, integration of education, research, community service activities, and idea exchange among various parties.
Knowledge exchange requires mutual openness, trust, and consultative dialogue. Knowledge exchange is a humane and cultural process, not just a formal and mechanical one. Formal information dissemination methods such as public lectures, scientific publications, or prototype demonstrations in laboratories/studios are only sometimes adequate. Knowledge exchange requires immediate and informal communication as well as mediated and formal communication. And for it to run well and develop, systematic knowledge exchange needs the support of an innovation ecosystem built together.
Referring to the Global Innovation Index (GII) published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Indonesia's ranking still needs improvement. It ranks 61 out of 132 countries in 2023. In the Lower Middle-Income Economy group, Indonesia ranks 5 out of 37 countries, below India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. This ranking means that the performance of Indonesia's national innovation ecosystem still needs to improve. Generally, an innovation ecosystem is a form of interconnection between higher education/research institutions, various economic actors, and government institutions. This innovation ecosystem is woven and developed by multiple related parties to promote the development of science, technology, and innovation that generates added value in economic sectors or public sectors.
The innovation ecosystem is relatively robust and dynamic in countries with high innovation indices. The challenges faced in these countries are not about establishing and building an innovation ecosystem but about adapting to changes and disruptions and ensuring sustainable innovation. Meanwhile, for countries with relatively low innovation indices, strategic steps are needed to accelerate the development and strengthening of the innovation ecosystem. These steps need to be formulated and implemented together. The government's role is crucial in facilitating interactions between universities and economic actors.
Distinguished Guests,
Allow me to summarize the above points as follows:
Higher education institutions will become increasingly important in the future for two reasons. First, higher education institutions are knowledge reservoirs formed from various educational, research, and community service and innovation activities over a long period. This is the only institution on campus with such an extensive knowledge capacity. Second, higher education institutions can conduct higher education systematically, sustainably, measurably, and accountably. No other institution can do this. Despite these advantages, higher education institutions face the challenge of transforming their roles to increase their impact on national development and progress.
Economists state that Indonesia is entering the era of 'demographic dividend'. We aim to achieve 'Indonesia Emas' (Golden Indonesia) with this demographic capital by 2045. Generally, two fundamental steps need to be taken to realize this aspiration. The first is the transformation of the role of higher education institutions, enabling them to develop this demographic capital into a driving force for national progress. Achieving Golden Indonesia requires human resources (SDM) or human potential, which possesses excellent cognitive competencies, trustworthy and reliable characters. The second step is strengthening the national innovation ecosystem, which currently ranks unsatisfactorily. Both steps need to be implemented concurrently and synergistically to ensure economic growth based on innovation and strengthen ecological resilience and sustainability.
To promote the strengthening of the role of higher education institutions and the enhancement of innovation ecosystem performance, the state's role in financing and investment is a strategic factor. Increasing state financing is a challenging task due to fiscal constraints. Therefore, state
investment in higher education should be followed by actions from various parties to effectively strengthen the national innovation ecosystem, thereby generating a return on investment. Here, the meaning of 'return' is not limited to tax revenue but encompasses various measurable outcomes of higher education aligned with the strategic policies of the state regarding the achievement of Golden Indonesia.
Dear respected Higher Education Engineering Community,
Distinguished guests,
In recent years, ITB has been actively promoting research and development in science and technology, responding to global, national, and local challenges in areas such as energy transition, climate change adaptation, digital transformation, green economy, food security, water resilience, health, and post-COVID-19 economic recovery. LPPM ITB has devised community engagement strategies reaching Indonesia's remote 3T regions to contribute to accelerating equitable development. ITB continues to strengthen its internal innovation ecosystem to foster the downstream of research and innovation. ITB is finalizing the establishment of its Science & Technology Park (STP), which is equipped with facilities and business models. ITB encourages research and innovation collaborations with world-renowned universities in frontier scientific fields, including astronomy, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and information technology.
ITB also enhances partnerships with local governments in strategic areas such as Sumedang Digital City and Creative Economy in Cirebon. ITB continues to expand its multi-campus programs (now including campuses in Jatinangor, Cirebon, and Jakarta) to widen access to higher education services and promote knowledge exchange. ITB has developed character-strengthening programs for students to become agents of knowledge exchange in their workplaces.
Furthermore, ITB has socialized the Culture of Excellent Science as its intellectual platform to ensure excellence in scientific quality and high added value from various ITB activities. From 2020 to 2023, ITB has consistently increased its productivity and scientific reputation, maintaining a top position in the country. Data from SCIVAL and SINTA show that ITB consistently achieves high scores in "Top Tier (Q1) Publications/Faculty" and the highest average scientific citations per faculty nationwide. These achievements result from increased collaborations between ITB and leading universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge, resulting in joint publications with high Journal Impact Factors (JIF).
Engineering higher education institutions will be increasingly crucial in realizing Golden Indonesia's vision and responding to dynamically evolving global challenges. Therefore, a renewal of perspectives on engineering higher education and transforming roles within these institutions are necessary. Unity and contributions from various stakeholders, including government institutions, economic sectors, and the broader community, are invaluable and crucial factors for enhancing the role of engineering higher education in advancing Indonesia. May Allah SWT guide us all so we can steadfastly move towards Golden Indonesia by 2045. Aamiin, Yaa Rabbal Alamin.
Peace and blessings be upon you all,
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Bandung, 3 Juli 2024
Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D.
Rektor ITB