Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) officially commemorated 106 years of Engineering Higher Education in Indonesia (PTTI) in an open session held at the West Hall, Ganesha Campus, on Friday (3/7/2026). At the forum, renewable energy development figure Tri Mumpuni was appointed to deliver a scientific oration on the challenges of integrating science, technology, and human values in the future.
In her presentation, Tri Mumpuni highlighted that the world's crucial current issues, such as the climate crisis and social inequality, will not be resolved solely through purely technical solutions. She urged a fundamental shift in the mindset of technology developers so they are no longer trapped in a development ideology that aggressively pursues economic growth and capital accumulation.
Furthermore, she introduced the concept of 'techno-anthropology' as an approach that places technology within the corridor of culture and community life. According to her, intellectuals must not confine themselves in academic spaces, but must step down directly to understand social reality. For her, technology with a far-reaching impact is technology grounded in empathy and capable of providing direct economic added value to rural communities, rather than marginalizing local residents as mere providers of raw materials.
Concluding her oration, the founder of IBEKA emphasized that a balance between intellectual, social, and spiritual intelligence is the primary foundation of sustainability. She hopes engineering universities in Indonesia will be able to produce graduates who are not only technically proficient, but also possess high sensitivity toward environmental conservation and social justice for all people.
