The IIA Forum is an annual competition event held by Pertamina EP since 2018 to represent innovative products and Continuous Improvement Program (CPI) in the face of management, other officers, and stakeholders. In 2023, The IIA Forum held on-campus broke the record with a total of 113 teams participating. ITB became the first campus designated as the location of The IIA Forum.

Pertamina’s Java Regional Subholding Upstream Sr. Manager Relations, Agus Suprijanto, revealed the grand objective of IIA 2023 being collaboration. IIA 2023 was present to elaborate on company innovations and ideas from students as valuable inputs for the development of the oil and gas industry.

“Continuous improvement and innovation do not merely end in the campus environment; innovation will keep on progressing in the industrial world,” expressed Agus.

Spotlighting the theme of “Bring Back Innovation to Campus,” the IIA Forum undertook the establishment of a sustainable synergy in the Indonesian oil and gas industry by involving academicians, so that the on-campus learning process could be implemented in real life, especially in the context of innovation. The Committee Head of IIA 2023, Adriwal, hoped that IIA 2023 could inspire new insights and cultivate an adaptive attitude, as well as provide a comprehensive thinking framework among students.

The Rector of ITB, Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D., was given the opportunity to become a keynote speaker and conveyed the importance of reinforcing an innovative ecosystem through the Science Techno Park ITB (STP ITB). Innovation plays an important role in the sustainability of a company. In the digital era, innovation exists alongside technological development. Sooner or later, technological development will stagnate if not accompanied by innovation. Universities play the role of supporters in producing technological innovation, thus the need for a responsive (quick) and inclusive (perspective in problem comprehension) effort to realize it. STP ITB serves as a derivative attempt of ITB’s innovative idea in the context of advancing ITB’s impact in society.

STP’s role as a park or hub between industry and academics facilitates the interaction and exchange of multiple stakeholder sectors, such that a direct collaboration between the two of them could be formed. This purpose is in sync with the IIA Forum 2023, which was enacted as an interactional platform between the industry and academics.

“STP is no mere product display, nor simply a place to incubate businesses; it is a place to meet, interact, and exchange matters revolving around the development and application of technology,” stated the Rector.

Prof. Reini also suggested that STP’s role as a foundation means that in times of unpredictable incidents, ITB is ready to act as a reliable support for its surroundings. Currently, ITB possesses two STP buildings located in Bandung City and Summarecon Bandung, which is under construction.

“Hopefully, IIA 2023 could serve to improve contributions towards the nation’s development, as well as cultivate a spirit of improving the productivity and quality of local works,” expressed Prof. Reini.

Reporter: Pravito Septadenova Dwi Ananta (Geological Engineering, 2019)