BANDUNG, UNIKOM — Sunday, August 23, 2026, the Chair of APTISI West Java, who is also the Vice Chair for Technology and Innovation at APTISI Headquarters and the Rector of the Universitas Komputer Indonesia (UNIKOM), Prof. 3 Prof. HC. Dr. Ir. Eddy Soeryanto Soegoto, M.T., attended the First National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of the Association of Indonesian Private Universities (APTISI) in 2026. Held in the Ballroom of the Grand Mercure Lampung Hotel, his attendance was part of UNIKOM’s commitment to strengthening networks and collaboration among higher education stakeholders while promoting the contribution of universities to national development.
The 2026 APTISI First National Working Meeting was attended by approximately 500 participants from 34 provinces across Indonesia. This national forum served as a strategic platform for leaders of private universities to exchange ideas, voice their aspirations, and discuss various critical issues related to strengthening higher education, expanding access to education, developing human resources, university governance, and enhancing the contribution of campuses to society and regional development.
One of the highlights of the APTISI 2026 First National Working Conference was the presentation of the APTISI National Leadership School Mentor Pin to the Chair of APTISI West Java and Rector of UNIKOM, Prof. 3 Prof. HC. Dr. Ir. Eddy Soeryanto Soegoto, MT, by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Mendiktisaintek), Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D. The pin presentation symbolizes trust and marks Prof. Eddy’s role as one of the mentors in the APTISI National Leadership School.
A similar honor was also bestowed upon a number of private university (PTS) leaders from various regions across Indonesia who have been entrusted to serve as mentors in the program. According to the list of participants, the mentors come from various universities with a proven track record in the development of higher education, including leaders of private universities such as the Universitas Komputer Indonesia (UNIKOM), Bina Nusantara University (BINUS), Esa Unggul University, Mercu Buana University, Multimedia Nusantara University (UMN), Borobudur University, the National Institute of Technology (ITENAS) Bandung, and several other universities.
This trust marks an important milestone for UNIKOM in contributing to the strengthening of leadership capacity within the private higher education sector. Through their role as mentors, it is hoped that their experience, insights, and best practices in university management will be shared and become an integral part of the development process for future higher education leaders who are adaptable, visionary, and capable of addressing the challenges of our time.
During the National Working Meeting, Minister of Education, Research, Technology, and Higher Education Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of synergy between the government and private universities in strengthening the higher education ecosystem in Indonesia. According to him, various inputs from private university leaders serve as important material for the government to review and follow up on in accordance with applicable regulations. “We will process them. Please submit any input in writing so that it can be reviewed and acted upon.” He further stated that one of the key issues discussed during the dialogue was expanding access to higher education. The government continues to refine the implementation of the Kartu Indonesia Pintar (KIP) Kuliah program by taking into account the conditions and needs of the community. In this context, local governments can also provide scholarship support to students at private universities. “Local governments are allowed to provide assistance to private universities, such as scholarships. That is already permitted,” he said.
In addition to access to education, human resource development was a key part of the National Working Meeting’s discussions. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology also highlighted opportunities to leverage academic experience and expertise to support the strengthening of private universities through knowledge transfer. “To facilitate knowledge transfer, we need to optimize the performance of these capable and talented individuals to support the strengthening of private universities,” concluded Prof. Brian.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of APTISI, Dr. Ir. H. M. Budi Djatmiko, M.Si., MEI., emphasized that universities need to go beyond the mere function of education and be able to provide broader benefits to society. “Golden Indonesia will not emerge from campuses that merely succeed in teaching; it will emerge from campuses capable of transforming knowledge into empowerment,” stated Dr. Budi.
This spirit aligns with the direction of “Impactful Higher Education,” which encourages higher education institutions to deliver tangible benefits through education, research, innovation, talent development, and direct contributions to resolving various societal issues.
The First APTISI National Working Meeting 2026 also served as a momentum to strengthen the APTISI organization at the regional level. On this occasion, the Governor of Lampung was appointed to the APTISI Advisory Board for Lampung Province, while Dr. Ir. H. Firmansyah Alfian, M.BA., M.Sc., was inaugurated as Chair of APTISI Lampung Province for the 2026–2031 term. The event was also attended by Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Rycko Menoza, M.B.A.; the President’s Special Envoy for Tourism Zita Anjani, S.Sos., M.Sc.; Commander of Military Region XXI Raden Inten Brigadier General TNI Andrian Susanto, S.I.P., M.Han., M.I.Pol.; and a number of other stakeholders.
For UNIKOM, the Rector’s participation in the 1st APTISI National Working Meeting 2026, along with the trust placed in UNIKOM to serve as a Mentor for the APTISI National Leadership School, marks a strategic milestone to expand UNIKOM’s contribution to the development of leadership in private higher education institutions across Indonesia. The presentation of the Mentor Pin by the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D., symbolizes both synergy and trust in UNIKOM’s role in fostering higher education leadership that is integrity-driven, adaptive, innovative, and impact-oriented.
Through this milestone, UNIKOM continues to reaffirm its commitment to not only being an educational institution that excels in the development of science and technology but also to playing an active role in building a collaborative and competitive Indonesian higher education ecosystem that provides tangible benefits to society and national development. (Directorate of Hms & Pro)
