The MoU was signed by ITB Vice Rector for Research and Innovation, Prof. Ir. Lavi Rizki Zuhal, Ph.D., and Executive Director of The Australia-Indonesia Centre, Boyd Whalan.

The partnership is aimed at establishing a long-term Australia-Indonesia collaboration platform to support the West Java Provincial Government in implementing the 9 Steps to Develop West Java initiative in the Rebana Metropolitan area.

This collaboration forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the contribution of universities and international networks to regional development through knowledge, research, and innovation-based approaches.

Prof. Lavi said that the partnership between ITB and AIC, which has been established for more than 13 years, is now entering a new and more tangible phase.

“Today’s signing marks another important milestone in our longstanding collaboration. We are expanding the scope of our partnership to directly support the West Java Provincial Government’s programs in the Rebana Metropolitan area, with a particular focus on sustainable development,” he said.

Rebana Metropolitan is projected to become one of West Java’s future economic growth centers through innovation, infrastructure modernization, and greater industrial integration. With its multidisciplinary network and the presence of ITB Cirebon Campus, ITB is expected to play a crucial role in supporting and accelerating development across the region.

Meanwhile, Boyd Whalan said that the issue of energy transition in the Rebana area is highly relevant to current developments in global supply chains and geopolitics.

“The Rebana area presents a tremendous opportunity for us to further develop this collaboration. Its energy needs represent both a challenge and an opportunity for academic research as well as industry collaboration, which we hope can help drive significant investment between Australia and Indonesia,” he said.

Through this agreement, the collaboration between the two parties is expected to serve as a platform that brings together the academic, research, innovation, and networking capacities of both institutions in support of West Java’s development agenda, particularly in the Rebana Metropolitan area.