Digital Leaders from Kampus Pahlawan

I don’t think this was an ordinary reunion.

Last Saturday, October 4th, at the Vertu Harmoni Hotel in Jakarta, the atmosphere was indeed different. It was energetic and relaxed. Hundreds of people there weren’t just reminiscing. They were planning for the future.

My eyes wandered around: there were state-owned enterprise directors, company leaders, information technology professionals, startup founders, professors, key regulators in the central government, and even members of the East Java Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD). From the world of coding to the political arena—the whole gamut.

They all came from one womb: the Informatics Engineering Department of ITS. A crucible that, forty years ago, would have been unimaginable to produce such a “troop.”

Appreciation should be given to the founders of the study program, the lecturers, students, and educational staff—especially the first generation, who undoubtedly experienced difficult times.

Let’s turn the clock back to 1985. This study program began as Computer Engineering. The students? Only about thirty. Perhaps it started in a simple room. Compare that to today: in a fully equipped building, 250 of Indonesia’s best talents gathered from thousands of prospective students who compete fiercely each year for admission.

So, that day’s forum was appropriately named: Digital Leader Forum: Empowering Indonesia’s Future. It wasn’t just any reunion.

Of the approximately five thousand alumni who now serve as the backbone of digital communities in various places, three hundred and fifty made time to attend. This was no small number. This was a force.

The goal? Frankly: to show off.

But it was a positive show-off. A show-off that was contagious. Show-offs to demonstrate to their juniors—and to Indonesia—that this was the result of ITS education. Show-offs to inspire.

Then they shared. They discussed trends, industry challenges, and most importantly: building bridges. Between individuals. Between industries. Between generations.

This seriousness was evident from their commander. The Head of the Informatics Engineering Department, Cak Prof. Ary Shiddiqi, came down from the mountain directly to chair the committee. The Dean of the Faculty of Intelligent Electrical and Informatics Technology, Ning Prof. Diana Purwitasari, was also present to oversee the event. This is a sign that ITS is serious.

I, representing the Rector, had the opportunity to speak. As I stood before the forum, I didn’t see a crowd. I saw an ecosystem. If they moved together, the impact would be extraordinary.

I conveyed the Rector’s message, summarized in three words: friendship, collaboration, synergy. This golden network must become energy—energy for the nation.

Informatics Engineering and related fields are the essential backbone of digital transformation. Now the threat of cyberattacks is greater. Cybersecurity is truly an urgent need.

The best student talent needs to be prepared to face future challenges. Not only in developing new algorithms, but also in preparing human resources for the coming quantum era—quantum computers, quantum cryptography, and bioinformatics.

That Saturday, I saw a legion. Indonesia’s digital legion. They were celebrating forty years of their journey, preparing for their half-century. And they were already marching.

AMH – Vice Rector 4 of ITS