The Future of Education in the IKN Era: Discussion with Professor Jianbang-Deng

Bintaro, South Tangerang 17/07/2024 – Professor Jianbang-Deng from TAMKANG University, Taiwan, served as a keynote speaker in a discussion themed "Envisioning Higher Education: Aligning University Strategy with Jakarta's Urban Shift and IKN's Development" on Friday (July 5, 2024). The event was attended by officials, lecturers, and staff from Universitas Pembangunan Jaya (UPJ) to discuss the direction of Indonesian education following the relocation of the nation's capital (IKN). 

Professor Jianbang explained that future studies will focus on diversity and various possibilities. The future, according to him, can be predicted with careful planning. He divided the future into three categories: possible, plausible, and probable. 

Furthermore, Professor Jianbang elaborated that the future offers many choices and it is a shared responsibility to determine it. "The future doesn't just happen; it is the result of the choices we make," he said. "We need a lot of research and we need to make choices for ourselves and the communities we live in. We must change what happens to us and utilize our studies and research. Ultimately, the future is in our hands." 

Therefore, Professor Jianbang proposed a "social design" approach for academics. This approach emphasizes design thinking aimed at simplifying complexity, while future thinking helps create abstract scenarios of what life might look like in the future. 

This discussion highlighted the importance of future planning for learners, as the future lies in their hands. With careful planning and collaboration among stakeholders, Indonesian education can adapt and thrive in the IKN era.