Realizing Indonesia’s Golden Vision 2045 requires strong contributions from the higher education sector. With more than 4,600 universities and polytechnics, Indonesia has significant capacity to develop human resources capable of supporting national development. However, this potential depends on the ability of higher education institutions to continuously improve quality, relevance, innovation, and global competitiveness while responding to the needs of society and development at the local level. Rapid technological change, advances in artificial intelligence, evolving industry needs, and increasingly complex social challenges require universities to continuously renew how they educate and prepare future generations.
Elevate Higher Education (Elevate HE) Indonesia is an initiative aimed at strengthening the role of Indonesian higher education institutions as drivers of development through enhanced leadership capacity, curriculum modernization, and improved graduate readiness and competitiveness. The initiative is implemented through collaboration among universities, institutions, industry, and international partners within a shared network. The program encourages higher education institutions to strengthen institutional capacity and modernize education to better respond to technological change as well as the evolving needs of society and the world of work.
As part of this effort, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) hosted the Elevate HE Workshop: The Modern Curriculum & Graduate Readiness, organized in collaboration with United in Diversity (UiD). The three-day workshop took place from 28–30 September 2026 at the UGM Central Office Building. The event also marked the beginning of the Elevate HE Indonesia program series, which focuses on modern curriculum development and graduate readiness.
The workshop brought together curriculum development teams from various higher education institutions to apply the globally recognized CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) framework. The framework helps universities align learning with the needs of industry and society, including through approaches such as Project-Based Learning (PjBL).
UGM Vice Rector for Research, Business Development, and Cooperation, Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, S.Si., M.Sc., who attended the event representing the UGM Rector, emphasized that changes in technology, society, and industry needs require higher education institutions to continuously update their curricula. “Curriculum development must be a continuous process that responds to changes in society, industry, technology, and the needs of our communities,” he said in his remarks on the first day of the workshop on 28 September 2026.
According to Danang, curricula cannot be separated from changes in the environment surrounding higher education institutions. Their development must therefore remain continuous to ensure that education stays relevant to students, society, and the world of work. He added that graduate readiness is a shared responsibility. Universities need to strengthen engagement with industry, government, communities, alumni, and other partners. Through these efforts, graduates are expected to possess not only academic knowledge but also the competencies needed to apply that knowledge and address real-world challenges.
This perspective was echoed by Dr. Suyoto of UiD, who described education as a strategic investment in the nation’s future. “Education is a highly strategic investment for a country,” he said. Dr. Suyoto described education as a lifelong process of human transformation. Higher education institutions, therefore, need to continuously transform their institutions, curricula, and approaches to engaging with industry to respond to changing times. He also encouraged universities to regularly evaluate the quality of their educational programs, viewing graduation not merely as an endpoint but as an important moment to ensure that students are prepared to navigate life and future challenges.
Mariam Kartikatresni of EUNOIA EduHub also highlighted the importance of higher education institutions keeping pace with the development and needs of younger generations. According to her, universities need to work together to ensure that education remains relevant to future generations. This includes updating curricula while strengthening connections among higher education, research, and industry. She also emphasized the importance of commercializing research outcomes so that university research and innovation can generate broader benefits for industry and society.
The workshop featured a number of speakers and experts from universities and international education institutions. Among them were Prof. Edward Crawley of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Tsinghua Southeast Asia (Tsinghua SEA); Prof. Hamish Coates of the Australian National University; Prof. Mats Hanson of the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden, United in Diversity (UiD), and Tsinghua SEA; Prof. Sir Gordon Duff of the University of Oxford; and Helene Leong and Lim Joo Ghee of Singapore Polytechnic, along with other international experts.
Representing Universitas Gadjah Mada, the speakers included Prof. Dr. Supriyadi, M.Sc., CMA, CA., Ak., Vice Rector for Human Resources and Finance; Prof. dr. Gandes Retno Rahayu, MMedEd, Ph.D., Director of Education and Teaching; Wirastuti Widyatmanti, S.Si., Ph.D., Head of the Bureau of Strategic Management; and I Made Andi Arsana, S.T., M.E., Ph.D.
Looking ahead, the outcomes of the workshop are expected to be implemented at the participating higher education institutions. “I hope this workshop will generate concrete steps at the institutional level, strengthen collaboration and shared learning, and ultimately contribute to producing competent, adaptive, and innovative graduates while enabling higher education institutions to make meaningful contributions to Indonesia’s sustainable development,” Danang said.