Deans of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Faculties from Across Indonesia Meet at IPB University, Ready to Revamp Curriculum for Greater Relevance
The IPB Gunung Gede Campus in Bogor City witnessed a meeting of deans from mathematics and natural sciences faculties (FMIPA), science and technology faculties (FST), and science and mathematics faculties (FSM) from across Indonesia who are members of MIPAnet.
Through the Industry-MIPAnet Curriculum Workshop (11/ 23–26), this event was held as a strategic forum to align MIPA education curricula with industry and future needs supported by automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and other cutting-edge technologies.
“I hope this activity can strengthen the role of universities as a bridge between science and technology application. With good collaboration between universities and industry, we can improve the quality of MIPA graduates while accelerating Indonesia’s transformation into an innovation-based country,” said IPB University Rector Prof Arif Satria.
The Secretary General of MIPAnet, Prof Kuwat Triyana, explained that this workshop is a concrete step to reduce the competency gap between MIPA graduates and industry needs. According to him, rapid industrial development requires continuous curriculum updates.
“We gathered at IPB to discuss MIPAnet programs, one of which is how to bridge the gap between universities and industry. Many fields under MIPAnet, ranging from mathematics and science to computer science, still need to be aligned with industry needs. Today, we heard directly from industry representatives about the skills that will be needed now and in the next 5-10 years,” he explained.
He added that the results of the discussion with industry experts would form the basis for revising the curriculum in various study programs. This workshop was also an initial meeting that would be followed up with a larger forum involving more industry players. The hope is that the curriculum updates across all MIPAnet members will truly align with the real needs of the industry.
Similarly, the Dean of FMIPA IPB University and Chair of the MIPAnet Education Cooperation Division, Prof Berry Juliandi, also emphasized that the main agenda of the workshop was to ensure that the MIPA curriculum is more relevant and adaptive to developments in the world of work.
“There has been a perception that MIPA graduates are not well-suited to the needs of industry. Therefore, we have invited four industry representatives to explain the competencies they require,” he said.
“Deans and program chairs will also discuss the curriculum, determining which parts are still relevant and which need to be updated, removed, or replaced,” he added.
Prof Berry added that the main output of this activity is a new curriculum design that is in line with industry dynamics. “We want the FMIPA curriculum across all MIPAnet members to be truly aligned with industry demands,” he concluded. (AS)(IAAS/RWA)
