President Jokowi Reminds Universities to Provide Students Knowledge Relevant to Present Times

President Jokowi and Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim engage in discussion on Kampus Merdeka (Freedom Campus), at the State Palace, Jakarta. (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat/Lukas)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has urged higher education institutions to provide students with knowledge and skills that are relevant with the present times.

Disruption in the fourth industrial revolution (industry 4.0) and COVID-19 pandemic, according to the President, has considerably changed the needs for knowledge and skills.

Much knowledge and skills have become irrelevant to the latest development, while new knowledge and skills as well as new jobs are emerging at the same time, he added.

Therefore, the President reminded university students to master knowledge and skills that are matched with the present and future needs.

The Head of State also pushed universities to collaborate with practitioners and industrialists so they can link universities’ talent and technological innovation with the needs of industries.

“We must invite industries to give lecture to the students so they can gain other experiences besides academic studies,” the President said Tuesday (27/7).

In addition, he added, universities must also offer opportunities for the students to develop their talents and skills since each student is a unique individual that has their own talent.

“Whatever they are going to be in the future, each job requires hybrid knowledge and hybrid skills. If education institutions set boundaries to each discipline, future graduates will have difficulties in facing the future and universities will not be able to stay relevant to this disruptive era,” he explained.

The President also ordered old universities to revitalize their curriculums, learning methods, management models, and culture in order to stay competitive in the current development.

“New universities can also transform their work methods, curriculums, and management models. The disruption allows young generation to overtake the older generation,” he stated.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also ensured that the Government continues to establish policies that favor new development, while expressing hope that universities can develop a more progressive work methods to shape the future of the students and to prepare Indonesia in competing with other countries. (PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARIAT/UN) (RAS/EP)