Honorable members,
Leaders and Members of the Board of Trustees,
Leaders and Members of the Academic Senate,
Distinguished Professors,
All Faculty Members and Academic Staff,
Graduates, Ladies, and Gentlemen,
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Peace be upon us all.
With heartfelt gratitude to Allah SWT and a sense of pride, I extend my congratulations to all graduates of the Doctoral, Master’s, and Bachelor’s Programs at the First Graduation Ceremony of the Institut Teknologi Bandung for the Academic Year 2024/2025.
Today, you have earned a new academic degree from ITB to recognize the mastery of knowledge and academic competence you have successfully achieved. With this new degree, you now bear a higher responsibility to contribute and give back to Indonesian society and nation. Along with your new title, you are expected to embody a new level of conduct, guided and shaped by knowledge, known as “scholarly behavior.” When scholarly titles are consistently accompanied by scholarly conduct, we achieve what is known as “academic integrity.”
Dear graduates I am proud of,
Distinguished guests,
On this proud and joyous occasion, allow me to share insights on the transformative steps ITB has undertaken during my five years as Rector. In early 2020, we launched a series of transformation programs aligned with ITB’s Master Plan 2020–2025, which envisions ITB as a “Globally Respected and Locally Relevant University.” These transformation programs include i) restructuring ITB’s organizational structure to improve agility, adaptability, and efficiency; ii) enhancing service value through innovative and creative approaches; iii) adopting Education 4.0 paradigms and digitalizing service systems; iv) strengthening ITB’s innovation ecosystem with a foundation of outstanding scientific culture, including interdisciplinary research and educational programs; and v) change management.
Amid the pandemic, ITB also inaugurated PT Katalis Merah Putih to promote green energy initiatives aligned with national priorities. Furthermore, ITB established the Center for Space Science, Technology, and Innovation (PSTIK), capitalizing on the 100th anniversary of the Bosscha Observatory. This center brings together astronomy experts and other interdisciplinary experts, creating a cross-disciplinary environment that spans space weather, astroparticle physics, astrochemistry, astrobiology, and ethnoastronomy. Through community service programs, ITB strives to introduce astronomy at the primary and secondary education levels.
To enhance our local relevance, ITB has developed a series of community service and innovation initiatives for Indonesia’s remote, outermost, and least-developed areas, following a measurable and sustainable agenda. Post-Covid-19 social and economic recovery programs are prioritized within this agenda. To expand local relevance in education, we have continued our multicampus program by enhancing facilities and institutional structures at ITB Jatinangor Campus and ITB Cirebon Campus. ITB has also established a circular economy research lab in partnership with an international corporation at the Jatinangor Campus. Additionally, ITB is developing the Jakarta Campus to host multidisciplinary study programs and strengthen engagement with stakeholders. We are also completing the ITB science and technology park to enhance ITB’s innovation ecosystem.
In addition to these initiatives, we remain committed to achieving the highest levels in the Key Performance Indicators for State Universities. We believe ITB must continuously prioritize three aspects in delivering Tridarma services: quality of service, accessibility for the broader public, and public accountability.
Dear graduates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On this occasion, allow me to address an increasingly prominent issue on the international stage: the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) and their social implications. This topic has recently been discussed in various international forums, including the annual Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum. AI/ML applications are expanding unprecedentedly across all aspects of social life. Among these applications are identifying abusive behavior on digital platforms, monitoring infectious disease spread, developing marketplaces for agricultural and rural products, assessing infrastructure and housing conditions damaged by disasters, and sharing information on climate change. Thus, AI/ML is no longer limited to information exchange but has progressed to collective action to achieve various social goals. AI/ML is also seen as increasingly essential to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
However, there are challenges in harnessing AI/ML’s potential for social objectives. AI/ML alone is not a standalone solution—"technology is not the solution alone.” The growth of social institutions and ethical frameworks must accompany the development of AI/ML applications. This means AI/ML development requires interdisciplinary efforts involving academics and practitioners. In 2019, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) formulated what is known as the AI Principles, an intergovernmental standard on AI. These principles guide AI/ML stakeholders, emphasizing that AI/ML development should be inclusive and sustainable, uphold the rule of law, respect human rights and democratic values, and be transparent and accountable. All parties involved in AI/ML development bear social and ethical responsibilities, and AI/ML use should be accompanied by measurements of social impact, both positive and negative. Such measures allow us to direct AI/ML development towards realizing the principles of equality and inclusivity, encapsulating the “5Ps”: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships.
Therefore, the future will not merely be a “Digital Era” but also an “Era of Intelligence”: human intelligence, artificial/machine intelligence, and network intelligence. This will define the character of the future “technological society.” ITB stands as a leading institution in Indonesia in developing and applying AI/ML and related sciences and technologies, with an internationally recognized reputation in the field. However, we still have ground to cover. ITB and its alumni, partners, and networks must strive relentlessly to bridge these gaps, remain open to rapid and exponential changes, and be bold in making difficult decisions. We are expected to play a pivotal role in developing and applying AI/ML to advance the nation and achieve social and humanitarian objectives.
In closing, I extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to the entire ITB academic community and all ITB staff who have contributed to ITB’s transformative journey. Our successes are shared accomplishments achieved through collective effort. As for the goals yet to be reached or those that have not fully met our expectations, I take full responsibility as the leader of ITB.
Again, To all graduates, I extend my heartfelt congratulations on your success. I also thank your parents for entrusting ITB with their sons’ and daughters’ education.
“The most important human endeavour
the striving for morality in our actions.”
(Albert Einstein, Nobel Laureate in Physics)
May the Almighty and Most Merciful God bless Indonesia and us so that together, we may achieve a better-shared life, progress across various fields, and earn respect and dignity in the global community. Aamiin.
Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Bandung, October 26, 2024
Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D.
Rector of Institut Teknologi Bandung