Minister of Tourism and Creative Economics Pushes UT to Boost Creative Economics

Doctorate Program of Management, Faculty of Economics, Universitas Terbuka (UT) organizes a webinar on “Sinergy of Universities to Improve the Competitive Superiority of National Creative Economics” with the remarks from UT’s Rector, Prof. Ojat Darojat, M.Bus., Ph.D., as well as the main speaker, Dr. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, B.B.A., M.B.A, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economics (Menparekraf) and Ir. H. Kamrussamad, M.Si., Member of XI Commission, the People’s House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI), Saturday (7/8/2021).

In its opening speech, Prof. Dr. Ali Muktiyanto, S.E., M.Si., as the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, really appreciated the accomplishment that Indonesian economy has done which is above 7% and showing better and progressing conditions. Through this webinar, Ali hopes that the UT students would gain more perspectives from the resourceful persons. UT’s Rector stated that UT has evolved in promoting the synergy with private and state universities, banking institutions, local and central governments, in providing learning materials, tutorial materials and others. UT also takes part in the government program on human resources development (SDM) of excellence in line with the UT’s vision which is the fair distribution of quality education access for all the people of Indonesia. Until now, as many as 320 thousand of active students are provided with the education services by 39 UPBJJ-UT offices throughout all the provinces in Indonesia as well as the overseas student services office.

In the same occasion, Prof. Ojat also introduced to the participants of the webinar that the university has launched and established ICE Institute which is the marketplace for taking the university courses for the students of both state and private universities. ICE Institute works together with eDx so the students in Indonesia can access the world-class courses free of charge. As conclusion, UT’s Rector expressed that it is offering higher education to anyone and anywhere, including for the working people. UT has become the campus of the future and will be there with the students.

Dr. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, B.B.A., M.B.A., popularly called Bang Sandi, through Yes Goes to Campus program by Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economics (Kemenparekraf) would like to invigorate the entrepreneurship and to inspire the students who joined the webinar. Bang Sandi appreciated the UT’s accomplishments as the pioneer in distance education in Indonesia.

Bang Sandi explained that there are three platforms of Kemenparekraf program in the future, which are innovation, adaptation, and collaboration. Various sector in tourism and economics are facing the rigorous challenges in the time of Covid-19 pandemics, as such he expects that all the sectors would work together hand in hand to synergize and be able to boost the economics. According to Bang Sandi, the models of creative economics development shall be based on human resources with five supporting pillars, namely industry, technology, resources, institution and financial intermediary institutions, as well as be supported by the academicians, business people, and governments.

Bang Sandi highlighted the roles of the intellectuals who are the apex in the pyramid of creative industry driving forces as they can bring in creative economic entrepreneurship-based curricula. Universities also play their roles during this time of pandemic with the recovery of economics and improvement of creative economics. Bang Sandi also appreciated UT which has off-campus activities for its students according to the government programs of Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka.

Ir. H. Kamrussamad, M.Si. supported the government programs which is intensively promoting the number of people who gain access to Covid-19 vaccination for the sake of the creative economic benefits. According to Kamrussamad, the synergy that universities make in improving the creative economics is by the human resources capacity building, conducting research and development, as well as performing community services. The students also have their significant roles in economic development by changing their mindset from job seeker to job creator, as well as thinking creatively and innovatively. He encourages the students to transform the challenges into opportunities with strong mentality.

“Entrepreneur is not a profession, instead it is a mindset. Rest assured, this mindset should consist of hardwork, being optimistic, innovative, and creative as well as leadership.” – Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno.