STEI Participates in Realizing Independence in Smart Card Technology
STEI (representing ITB) is part of the Smart Card Consortium, which involves the National Research Council (DRN), four universities, and five companies. The four universities in the consortium are ITB, Telkom University (Tel-U), the University of Indonesia (UI), and Hasanuddin University (Unhas). The five companies involved are PT Industri Telekomunikasi Indonesia (PT Inti), PT Xirka Silicon Technology, PT Data Aksara Matra (PT DAM), PT Inti Bangun Sejahtera (IBS), and PT Versatile.
"We must emphasize collaboration. Hopefully, this will be part of our steps towards technological independence," said the Chairman of the Information & Communication Technology Technical Commission of the National Research Council (DRN), Dr. Ir. Basuki Yusuf Iskandar, MA.
This collaboration was formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on August 9, 2016, in Solo, Central Java. The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding was held before the National Seminar themed "Synergy of Higher Education, Research and Business Through Innovation to Strengthen National Competitiveness" as well as the 2016 Plenary Session of the National Research Council and commemoration of National Technology Awakening Day. Present at this event were the Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education (Menristekdikti), Prof. Muhamad Nasir, PhD, Akt., former president of the Republic of Indonesia and initiator of the National Research Council Prof. BJ Habibie, Chairman of the National Research Council, Dr. Ir. Bambang Setiadi IPU, and members of the Regional Research Council.
The formation of this consortium began with the development of a smart card, which went through various meetings and discussions facilitated by the DRN. The results included a commitment from each participating university to implement the prototype smart card in their campus learning systems. The smart card can be used for, among other things, accessing academic data, cafeteria payments, student attendance, classroom management, room access, monitoring campus activities, and using lockers and mailboxes.
On the same occasion, the Chairman of the National Research Council, Dr. Ir. Bambang Setiadi IPU said that based on measurements conducted three years ago, it was known that the contribution of total production factors (TFP), namely the quality of infrastructure, human resources, and governance (good governance) to national economic growth was only 0.9 to 1.1 percent. "Because innovation and technology are components of TFP, discussing the importance of innovation and technology as factors of economic growth and increasing competitiveness continues to be the most real focus and challenge today," he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Prof. Muhamad Nasir, PhD, Akt., stated that research in Indonesia is no longer based on activities, but on results. This is intended to facilitate research in Indonesia. "Let's stimulate innovation," he said.
The founder of the National Research Council, BJ Habibie, encouraged young researchers in Indonesia to continue the research pioneered by previous researchers. "Because research results are not only valid for one generation, but are continuous, so you can simply continue," Habibie said.