Ridwan Kamil in IPB: Digital Era Has to be Faced Wisely
Currently digital era demands society to be smart in filtering information. Besides, society is also demanded to be competitive. If the youths, in this case university students, only limit themselves into learning only from in-class lectures without having any extra value, it will not be enough to be competing in this digital era.
That what was stated by Ridwan Kamil, West Java Governer, during Studium Generale "Leadership in the Digital Era" held by Directorate of of Student Affairs and Career Development of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), in Common Class Room (CCR) Auditorium, IPB Dramaga campus, Bogor (6/10).
Ridwan stated that IPB has to improve the quality of its students, such as English proficiency so that they can compete in internationally. During his lecture, Ridwan looked very laid back and communicable that sometimes the audience laughed to his jokes.
According to the man who is cordially known as Kang Emil, besides bringing many convenience, digital era also has the dark side that has to be addressed wisely. "The first one is the extreme case. In one day a person uses its gadget for at least four hours. But what does most Indonesian read? Most of them are senseless content. That's why I have been trying digital da'wah program in West Java. I asked the ulama to provide the contents to address the useless contents. Why is this called extreme? It's the same case with vehicles, everyone can drive, but not everyone can control it," he said.
The second matter is its danger. Now there is a business of creating hoaxes, because we are not used to fact-check, and it is spread digitally. "I'm giving you tips to identify a hoax, before the news enter a credible online news portal, it can be confirmed that the news has not yet been verified. Do not share or forward it easily," he said.
Digital era can also fade humanity. For example, instead of helping an accident victim immediately, we choose to take pictures and share them first to our social medias.
As a leader, Kang Emil stated that the technology advancement and this digital era are supposed to be addressed well. For example, utilizing social medias as a platform to accommodate public aspiration. "I have a platform in using social media. I use Instagram to post my activities, to give a sense that I am also like my followers, to educate, and to clarify," he said.
In facing "the new industrial era 4.0", Kang Emil said that digital knowledge has to be able to touch those things. "I challenge IPB to improve agriculture via digital. For example, selling rice through application. I will educate the farmers to sell their crops online. This is the digital revolution five years ahead to prosper our farmers," he said.
According to the governor, who is originally from Bandung, Indonesia is targeted to be the third most powerful nation in 2045. In achieving this, there are at least three conditions that have to be fulfilled i.e. Indonesia's economy can't decrease more than five percent, millenial generation has to be competitive, and democracy in Indonesia has to run smoothly.
He also said that the leadership needed in this digital era is the revolutionary leadership, risk-taking, innovative, agent of change, and problem solver. "If we practice those, Insha Allah by 2045 Indonesia can be the third most powerful nation," he said.
At the same event, IPB Rector, Dr Arif Satria stated that IPB has to keep developing and become the first university to export innovation. "West Java Province in the last ten years has given big contribution for IPB i.e. donating electric cars, campus buses, helping the building of Faculty of Economy and Management (FEM) Auditorium, and providing scholarships for S1, S2, and S3 students in IPB," said the Rector.
The Rector hopes that the innovations in IPB can be utilized by West Java Province to build economy and human resources. "We have to be optimistic that IPB can contribute in this nation's advancement," he said.
Also attended this event is the Mayor of Bogor, Bima Arya and the higher-ups of IPB. (Ard)
