Huawei brings digital economy-based training and wealth to State colleges

JAKARTA - China's technology firm Huawei has established an information, telecommunication and telecommunication training program for students in seven of Indonesia's top State campuses in hopes of boosting competitiveness of Indonesian ICT professionals.

The launch of the program, called SmartGen, was officiated in memorandum of understanding documents between executives of Huawei's Indonesian branch and senior representatives of the State-run colleges, witnessed by Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xie Feng.

"Through the SmartGen program, young generations can have access to the latest ICT technology, become a strong force to developing the Indonesian economy and increase the nation's competitiveness in the future," Huawei Indonesia CEO Liu Haosheng said in his remarks in the event.

Introduction of the SmartGen program to these colleges will consist of establishment of a Tech Day, a Huawei Experience Day, a smart campus consultancy, the "Seeds for the Future" program and student internships, according to Liu.

The program would also allow Indonesian students to undertake vocational training in Beijing and Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen.

The seven Indonesian State colleges involved in Huawei's SmartGen program are the University of Indonesia, Bandung Institute of Technology, Gadjah Mada University, Telkom University, Diponegoro University, Padjadjaran University and Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology.

Huawei has gone through more than 16 years of operations in Indonesia, extensively taking part in Indonesia's ICT development by establishing a joint innovation center and training laboratories in collaboration with the nation's Communications and Informatics Ministry and national campuses, Liu added.

Speaking at the event, Xie said that Chinese enterprises now have integrated more into local society and have extensively promoted mutual learning, win-win cooperation and shared development.

"It's my hope and belief that more and more Chinese enterprises will follow the example of Huawei by bringing their best products and services to Indonesia, earnestly fulfilling their corporate social responsibility, striving to be a good corporate citizen and making great contributions to Indonesia's economic and social progress," the ambassador said.

He added that China has now been Indonesia's largest trading partner for six consecutive years and that investment from the Chinese mainland increased by a staggering 324 percent to reach $2.7 billion in 2016, raising China from being the ninth to the third-largest foreign investor in Indonesia.

Indonesian Communications and Informatics Minister Rudiantara said that ICT development is essential in Indonesia at present as the country is pursuing a digital technology-supported economy in the future by developing e-commerce for use in daily life, with $180 billion worth of transactions expected by 2020.

"There will be 2,000 students tasked with honing ICT skills in the country and in foreign countries as well, including in China. This is part of our efforts to catch up with digital technology," the minister said at the event held on the Indonesian technology and research bureau premises.

He added that his ministry is now tasked with assuring that ICT becomes the main driver and enabler of the nation's economic development and social culture transformation.

To pursue growth of the country's digital economy, Indonesia now faces several challenges, including a small number of trained professionals in the field, funding, taxation, customer education and logistics.

Xinhua