As part of the “Dean Visits Department” program series, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., paid a visit to the academic community, this time at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DTSL). The visit took place on Tuesday, May 28, 2025, in Room A.108, DTSL Building, FTUI, UI Campus Depok.
Prof. Kemas was accompanied by the Vice Dean for Resources, Ventures, and General Administration, Dr.-Ing. Ir. Dalhar Susanto, and the Vice Dean for Education, Research, and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Yanuar, M.Eng., M.Sc. The event was also attended by faculty leaders, managers, lecturers, and educational staff from DTSL.
In his remarks, Prof. Kemas shared several strategic agendas of FTUI, particularly in advancing the internationalisation of higher education. “The faculty is intensifying its internationalization efforts through the recruitment of international students. We hope DTSL lecturers can serve as FTUI ambassadors to expand our global network and build international academic collaborations,” he said.
One significant opportunity being explored by FTUI is the potential to attract students from China. “Chinese students show a high interest in studying abroad. However, the main challenge lies in limited English proficiency. Therefore, we must devise new strategies to make FTUI an inclusive and competitive educational destination for them,” he added.
Prof. Kemas also discussed a potential new policy from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) regarding changes to the LPDP scholarship scheme, which will focus on double-degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels. “FTUI encourages every department, including DTSL, to start preparing double degree program schemes so that we are ready when this policy is officially implemented,” said Prof. Kemas.
In addition to internationalisation, campus facility revitalisation remains a top priority for FTUI. One example is the inauguration of a Smart Classroom, donated by REI DKI Jakarta, which demonstrates a commitment to improving the quality of learning. “We are also upgrading infrastructure at the Salemba Campus, including classrooms and supporting facilities. To support offline learning activities, FTUI will provide shuttle services from Depok to Salemba. Furthermore, we are adding more professional programs to reactivate Salemba classes,” he explained.
On this occasion, Prof. Kemas also shared FTUI’s initiatives in environmental management, particularly in plastic waste processing. “Several locations within FTUI have been equipped with facilities for separating plastic bottle waste. In the future, God willing, FTUI will receive a grant for a plastic decomposer machine that converts waste into plastic pellets. These pellets will be recycled into new products such as furniture, which will be placed in the i-CELL Building and used to support sustainable recycling practices,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ayomi Dita Rarasati, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., expressed her appreciation for the visit from the faculty leadership and the presentation of various strategic directions being pursued. “We warmly welcome the visit from the Dean and the faculty leadership in the ‘Dean Visits Department’ initiative. It serves as an important platform to align the vision between the faculty and the department. We hope that the revitalisation of facilities, especially the DTSL building, will continue to be supported, further optimising the teaching and learning process. In addition, DTSL is committed to actively contributing to the international academic and research collaborations being developed by FTUI,” she said.
Through this initiative, it is hoped that the synergy between faculty leadership and departments will continue to strengthen, enabling FTUI to become a leading engineering education institution that is adaptive to global challenges and continues to contribute to sustainable development.
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Public Communications Office
Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia
