This year's open session of PTTI was opened by Rector of ITB Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D., and ITB's key persons. This session was also attended by the Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economic, Sandiaga Uno, Hatta Rajasa, and Kusmayanto Kadiman. Also, ITB invited the recipients of the Doctor Honoris Causa, Ganesa Wira Adiutama awardees, and media broadcast companies.

ITB awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa to Raden Muhamad Samsudin Dajat Hardjakusumah (Sam Bimbo), Nyoman Nuarta, and Prof. Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro as their contribution to society in the field of science, arts, and technology.
The awarding of Doctor Honoris Causa is given to someone who did influential works that were beneficial to society, national culture, humanity, the development of science, technology, and art.

ITB also awarded the Ganesa Wira Adiutama Award to 17 ITB lecturers for their valuable contributions and services to the institution while serving as dean/deputy dean in the 2015-2020 period.

Prof. Reini congratulated the awardees of both the HC doctorate and the Ganesa Wira Adiutama award. On that occasion, Prof. Reini alluded to digital transformation. The idea refers to a 'wave' of societal change or disruption related to new technology. She also revealed that connectivity is one of the keywords of digital transformation.

Therefore, there are several challenges faced by PTTI as the organizer of the higher education tri dharma activities. Several points she addressed were how to improve connectivity between Teaching, Research, and Community Service activities, how to enhance interdisciplinary connectivity in the implementation of the tri dharma, and how to improve connectivity between the academic world and the industrial/business world and with other organizations. "In addition to the things above, the Covid-19 pandemic provides an important lesson related to connectivity, namely solidarity," she said.

Chairman of the ITB Board of Trustees Ir. Yani Panigoro, M.M., in her speech, said that we should reflect on the 101-year journey of ITB and also prepare for 100 years of Indonesia's independence.

"There are several hard obstacles in our future. We should utilize our great potential, realizing the demographic bonus. Hopefully, we could be an advanced society in 2045. The role of ITB, as the higher education providers, must answer the needs of future generations by providing high quality education," she stated.

Yani also encouraged ITB to organize various scientific forums to generate technopreneurs. Also, ITB should create an entrepreneurial society based on high technology. Hopefully, the 100-year independence of Indonesia will make an advanced civilization in the world.

"I am absolutely sure that ITB, with all its resources, will be able to tackle this challenge," she added.

Meanwhile, the ITB Academic Senate Chairman, Prof. Ir. Hermawan K. Dipojono, Ph.D., said that ITB's most significant contribution to the nation and state is its graduates. The big lesson learned from the Covid-19 disruption, according to him, is that ITB needs to re-examine the character needs carefully, skills and insights that are most relevant to its graduates.

"Education on ITB must ensure that its graduates have the character of integrity, honesty, high fighting power, capable-creative-innovative-collaborative, national-minded, but also polite and compassionate," said Prof. Hermawan.

A graduate profile like this is critical to face the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) era. Also, ITB wants to be a leader of current advanced technologies in quantum computation, molecular medicine & in-body hospital, bio-neuro-technology, nanoscience & nanotechnology, AI, green energy & hydrogen economy, etc.

Reporter: Adi Permana (PR of ITB)
Translator: Billy Akbar Prabowo (Metallurgical Engineering 2020)