On 22 May 2025, Sarita Anggun Kinanti, Associate Director of KUMPUL Impact, moderated a session titled Strengthening Education–Industry Collaboration to Bridge Skill Gap at the NSW International Education Summit 2025. The event, held at the Grand Hyatt Jakarta, was hosted by Study NSW and Investment NSW under the New South Wales Government.
The session brought together leaders from healthcare, telecommunications, and startup sectors to exchange insights on how education systems can better align with evolving industry needs. As economies transition through digitalisation and artificial intelligence, the discussion focused on how higher education and training institutions can build relevant skills and mindsets among Indonesia’s young workforce.
Learning from Industry Needs
Each speaker shared a concrete view on the challenges they face in talent development. From the healthcare sector, Endang Suraningsih, Director of Human Capital at Biofarma, explained that biotechnology today relies not only on scientific expertise but also on data interpretation and ethical decision-making. She noted that Biofarma has been working with universities to co-design curricula that combine biological sciences with data literacy and research ethics.
From the telecommunications industry, Irsyad Sahroni, Chief Human Capital Officer at Indosat, underlined that as the company moves toward becoming a digital platform, it needs graduates who understand cybersecurity, user experience, and customer-focused design. Indosat’s collaboration with partners such as NVIDIA helps develop these applied skills through hands-on training and mentorship.
Representing the startup ecosystem, Marshall Pribadi, Chief Executive Officer of Privy, stated that the main challenge lies in mindset. He shared that many graduates have strong academic backgrounds but struggle to apply knowledge in uncertain or fast-changing environments. In the startup context, curiosity and initiative are key qualities that enable individuals to learn and adapt quickly.
Strengthening Collaboration for Skills Development
The panel concluded that bridging Indonesia’s education-to-workforce gap requires close cooperation between universities, industries, and innovation enablers. Curriculum development must go hand in hand with exposure to real-world challenges, internships, and collaborative projects that reflect current industry practices.
The conversation reflected a shared understanding that preparing future talent is not limited to technical instruction. It includes cultivating ethical awareness, interdisciplinary thinking, and problem-solving capacity. The discussion at the NSW International Education Summit 2025 became a reminder that strong partnerships between education and industry remain essential for building an inclusive, future-ready workforce capable of navigating ongoing transformation in the digital economy.
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