The Best Innovative Higher Education Award was given by the Menristek/Head of BRIN, Prof. Bambang Permadi Soemantri Brodjonegoro to the Rector of ITB, represented by the Head of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (LPIK-ITB), Dr Ir. Sigit P. Santosa, MSME, IPU. Meanwhile, the Science and Technology Center of Excellence-Higher Education (PUI-PT) award was received by Prof. Ir. Iswandi Imran MA.Sc., PhD, as Head of the Disaster Mitigation Research Center, at BJ Habibie Building, Jakarta, Tuesday, November 10, 2020.

Menristek/Head of BRIN also gave other awards, namely Habibie Prize 2020. The awards were given to Prof. Dr Euis Holisotan Hakim MS., from FMIPA ITB and Prof. Dr Yasraf Amir P. MA. from FSRD ITB.

This innovation award-giving event was held in the 25th National Technology Awakening Day (Hakteknas) that brought a specific theme, namely "Innovation as a Solution", which began on August 10, 2020. The event was attended by the President (online), Vice President, Chairman DPR, and several Ministers of the Indonesian Cabinet.

Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, PhD as Rector of ITB expressed her gratitude and pride for giving the 2020 Best Innovative Higher Education award to ITB. Prof. Reini stated that the awards are mandates for the educational institution to excel in technology advancement.

Prof. Reini said that in the next five years, ITB would focus on strategic areas such as Big Data and AI to support the digital economy. Also, ITB would concentrate on other sectors, such as food technology, health technology, nanotechnology, and energy technology.

"We hope that we can build stronger togetherness with the national government, the industries, and the community. We believe that the government's support for ITB programs is necessary," she said.

ITB consecutively in the last two years (2019 and 2020) has succeeded in becoming the 1st Rank of the award. Indonesian universities are assessed from several aspects, including innovation research performance, innovation management strengths, industrial cooperation, entrepreneur development, and innovation research collaboration.

Head of LPIK-ITB, Dr. Ir. Sigit P. Santosa, MSME, IPU, figured that the award is an appreciation from the government for the universities' hard work.  Dr. Sigit added that ITB had built the innovative ecosystem since 2015 in four priority innovation clusters, namely 1) transportation and infrastructure, 2) energy and environment, 3) technology, food and health, and 4) information and communication technology. 

"We hope that the innovative ecosystem becomes stronger and vital. Also, ITB will make a collaborative network with several global institutions," Sigit said.

Reporter: Adi Permana

Translator: Billy Akbar Prabowo (Metallurgical Engineering 2020)