President Jokowi Encourages Higher Education Institutions to Foster Innovation amid Pandemic

President Joko Widodo

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has encouraged higher education institutions to foster innovation amid COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have to fight to free the Indonesian people from the threat of COVID-19. Nevertheless, there are still many innovations that have emerged because of this pandemic. We have to develop them more and more. We will continue the development in the post-pandemic era,” the President said in his remarks at the 2021 Indonesian Rectors Forum Conference, Tuesday (27/07).

According to the President, the pandemic is a series of disruptions that escalate the disruption previously triggered by the industrial revolution 4.0. The socio-cultural, economic, and political landscape underwent major changes due to the industrial revolution 4.0..Cloud computing technologies, internet of things, artificial intelligence, big-data analytics, advanced robotics and virtual reality have brought changes to all sectors.

“We have to admit that technology has become a master of disruption. Trade has shifted to e-commerce. The banking world has been disrupted by the presence of fintech and various types of e-payments. The world of medicine and pharmacy is increasingly being disrupted by healthtech. Legal professionals are also starting to be disrupted by rechtech. And the world of education has been massively disrupted by edutech,” he said.

In this regard, the President is of the view that higher education institutions must inevitably strengthen their position as edutech institutions. According to him, the most basic technology is learning to use digital technology. Digital learning is not only used to facilitate teaching by lecturers to students, but also to facilitate students to learn from anyone, anywhere, and about anything.

“Learning from practitioners, including industry players, is very important. The curriculum should give more credit hours for students to learn from practitioners and the industry. The exposure of students and lecturers to the future technology industry must be increased. Teachers and mentors from industry players, student internships to the industrial world, and even industry as tenants on campus must be facilitated. Other practitioner organizations must also be invited to collaborate,” the President stated.

The President also said that higher education institutions must work for humanity and for the progress of the nation, solving social problems with science and technology as well as continuous innovation. The entrepreneurial perspective is also very important so that higher education institutions can create sustainable system. In addition to strengthening the national character based on Pancasila, the students must be educated in an ecosystem that encourages socio-techno entrepreneurs and solves social problems by utilizing technology in an innovative and entrepreneurial way.

The President further said that students must be facilitated to be able to compete in an increasingly open and globalized job market, become industrialists who create jobs, improve their social status that will help them to achieve more, and make Indonesia’s MSMEs better.

“That is difficult task but I am of the view that the task will be much easier if we are willing to do it in new ways. “Freedom Campus” and “Freedom to Learn” programs are part of the important instruments for that. Students can study from anyone, anywhere, and from resources deemed important for their future and the future of the nation. Students must be updated with the latest developments and future developments,” the President said. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/UN) (RI/LW)