The ITB–Huawei collaboration has fostered academic excellence and opened doors for several ITB graduates to join Huawei's global workforce.
By Dr. Tutun Juhana, Dean at Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
Founded in 1920, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) is one of Indonesia's top three universities (see Figure 1), currently ranked 281st in the QS World University Rankings and 60th in the QS Asian University Rankings.
Figure 1: ITB campus view
As a prominent institution of higher education in Indonesia, ITB is committed to ongoing development. It aims to enhance its contributions to the fields of science, technology, and the arts while actively participating in the nation's academic development.
ITB has established multiple campuses, consisting of 12 faculties and schools, not only focused on the fields of STEM, but also arts and business management, and serving over 25,000 students. The ITB Ganesha Campus, designated as a Heritage Campus, serves as the hub for ITB's national and international academic collaborations, while the ITB Jatinangor Campus prioritizes the development of research and education that contributes to the socio-economic development of West Java.
ITB has built a strong partnership with Huawei in Indonesia, becoming a Huawei ICT Academy in 2018. By 2024, ITB has established practical laboratory environments for different fields. These include datacom, which is equipped with routers, switches, and firewalls; AI, powered by Atlas 200 DK; cloud computing, in collaboration with KooLabs; and 5G, utilizing 5.5G Lab equipment. This initiative has supported over 1,500 students at ITB and led to the certification of more than 150 professionals. Through this collaboration, students enhance their technical skills via practical device configurations and implementations based on their course materials, significantly contributing to the Golden Indonesia Digital Talent 2045 initiative.
ITB graduates thrive in Huawei's global ecosystem
The collaboration between ITB and Huawei has fostered academic excellence and opened doors for several ITB graduates to join Huawei's global workforce. Through rigorous training and certification programs offered by the Huawei ICT Academy, many students have gained valuable skills and recognition through international competitions, setting them on a path to success within the tech industry.
One such graduate is Ribka Tiarma Doloksaribu, who won the Global ICT Competition Network Track 2024 and received the prestigious Women in Tech Award for her exceptional contributions.
Perceived gender stereotypes have not held Ribka back from contributing to the field of technology, and this was recognized when she received the Women in Tech Award. During her time as a student, she also took on leadership responsibilities as the head of the professional division and served as the initiator of the Telecommunication Engineering Certification Assistant Program, driving her peers to earn at least one global IT certification before graduation.
Ribka's achievements paved the way for her to join Huawei, where she now works as a product technical engineer. Her journey from a Huawei ICT Academy trainee to a key contributor in Huawei's product and technical projects exemplifies the value of the training and support ITB provides to its students.
Another ITB graduate, Fandi Azam Wiranata, currently employed as a network and automation engineer at Huawei, has made significant contributions to Huawei's operations by developing and deploying automation tools that enhance efficiency and accuracy across multiple projects. His innovations have streamlined critical workflows, making an important impact on the company's network and automation.
In recognition of his outstanding performance, Fandi has received several prestigious global awards, including:
- 2023 GTS President Award for Excellent New Employees, awarded to only 5% of new employees in the Asia Pacific region.
- 2023 Frontline Best Practice Award from iTSC at the 2nd iTSC User Conference 2023.
- 2023/2024 Green Garuda Talent Award, recognizing him as a high-potential employee.
ITB has emerged as a national hub for ICT instructor development
ITB has emerged as a critical partner in the national development of ICT instructors across Indonesia, thanks to its role as a Huawei ICT Academy Support Center (IASC). This collaboration, forged over more than a decade, focuses on strengthening the digital competencies of instructors at universities across the country, equipping them with the latest technological expertise and teaching them methodologies to nurture future generations of ICT professionals.
The establishment of ITB as an IASC in 2021 marked a pivotal moment in the national strategy to expand digital literacy and technological expertise. As an IASC, ITB's mission goes beyond student education. It is now a driving force in empowering other universities to elevate their ICT education standards. This is achieved through comprehensive Train the Trainer (TTT) programs organized by ITB, helping local institutions develop qualified instructors who can teach Huawei-certified courses across a range of technological disciplines.
The TTT programs hosted by ITB enable instructors to earn Huawei Certified ICT Associate (HCIA) and Huawei Certified Academy Instructor (HCAI) certifications, which are internationally recognized qualifications. Since becoming an IASC, ITB has trained more than 300 instructors from universities all over Indonesia. These instructors then return to their respective institutions and implement Huawei's certified curricula, thereby multiplying the impact of ITB's work across the nation.
Localization of ICT training materials for better accessibility
One of the significant achievements of ITB as an IASC is the localization of Huawei training materials to suit Indonesia's diverse linguistic and cultural needs. Recognizing that English can be a barrier for some regions, ITB has spearheaded the translation of key technical courses into Bahasa Indonesia. This initiative has made Huawei's cutting-edge technological education more accessible to universities across the archipelago, particularly in regions where English proficiency is lower.
Courses on datacom, cloud services, and AI that have already been translated have now been published on the Huawei Talent platform. These materials are accessible to students and instructors across Indonesia, ensuring broader participation and inclusivity. To date, over 3,000 students have utilized these resources, significantly enhancing their learning experience and enabling them to develop vital skills in emerging technologies.
Plans are also underway to expand this localization effort to more advanced subjects, including 5G, openEuler, and openGauss, ensuring that Indonesia's future ICT professionals are equipped with the knowledge needed to thrive in the global technology landscape.
Empowering students for the Huawei ICT Competition
Beyond training, ITB provides a robust platform for instructor empowerment through Huawei's ICT competitions. ITB organizes bootcamps and preparation workshops for instructors who are guiding student participation in the Huawei ICT Competition at national, regional, and global levels. These competitions foster a spirit of innovation and provide a stage for Indonesian talent to shine at an international level.
In 2023, ITB's bootcamps prepared over 150 instructors and 75 academies across the nation for Huawei's prestigious ICT competitions. By 2025, the IASC at ITB aims to double these numbers, ensuring that Indonesia remains a strong contender in global ICT competitions.
Fostering inclusivity in the tech industry
An often-overlooked aspect of ITB's work as an IASC is its focus on inclusivity. The university recognizes the importance of providing opportunities to all individuals, including women in technology and those from underrepresented communities. ITB has been a champion of gender equality in the tech sector, actively encouraging female participation through specialized programs. For example, in 2023, ITB collaborated with Huawei to promote women's involvement in technology through initiatives like the Women in Tech program, which offers scholarships and mentorship to female students and instructors.
Challenges and future goals
Although ITB has made significant strides in talent cultivation, the institution is still actively addressing a number of challenges. For instance, only 20–25% of associated instructors are certified in HCIA and HCAI, limiting the reach of Huawei's programs. To combat this, ITB has established initiatives to ensure more instructors obtain these certifications, providing personalized counseling and comprehensive guidance throughout the process.
Looking forward, ITB's IASC aims to become the Preferred ICT Academy Support Center in Southeast Asia by 2025. This ambitious goal involves scaling up its instructor training programs, introducing new courses on openEuler and openGauss, and expanding the IASC network to over 100 universities across Indonesia.
Through its role as an IASC, ITB has become a national leader in ICT education, playing an instrumental role in shaping the digital future of Indonesia. By equipping instructors from universities across the country with world-class certifications and teaching tools, ITB and Huawei are ensuring that Indonesia's ICT sector is ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The combination of localized education, cutting-edge research, and robust instructor empowerment programs places ITB at the forefront of Indonesia's digital transformation.
