Online Features

Press Releases | Batam Report Vol. 10

Technical & Practical Education Support

The vast development of Batam Island as an industrial 'one and tourist resort, is indicated by the growth of investment to a total of US$ 8.8 billion by the end of 2001. This will require stronger support from human resourees for the operation of industrial zone and tourist resorts. Higher quality and more skilled work three is in demand. Higher edueation is also growing to Batam, with ten colleges and universities already available.

However, there is only one source of technical and practical education provided through Batam Pofyteehnic. The two-year old Batam Pofytechnic was founded by the Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA), the Batam Municipality, and supported by the Bandung Institute of Technology and the State University of Riau, Pekanbaru. It was founded with the mission to contribute to Batam's development and provide readily-applied and skilled workers.

Batam Pofytechnic, in its second year of operation, offers three study programs in the fields of Industrial Electronics. Information Technology, and Accounting. The Batam Polytechnic graduates are expected to fill the needs of indstries and multi national companies in Batam.

As their efforts to continually improve the education and training system. the Batam Polytechnic contacted the Singapore Economic Development Board (SEDB) for assistance in developing its staff through the provision of opportunities for training and attachment. The EDB. therefore, requested Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) to develop and conduct training and attachment programs for the staff of Batam Pofytechnic, so that both Singapore and Batam can benefit from the quafified mid-level skilled workers, graduates of Batam Pofytechnic.

Thus, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Batam Polytechnie and Nanyang Polytechnic on March 26, 2002 at the Campus of NYP Singapore. The initial agreement of twelve-month period between these two educational institutions was officially signed by Mr. Lin Cheng Ton, the Principal & CEO Nanyang Polytechnic and Dr. Priyono Eko Sanyoto, the Director of Batam Polytechnic. This signing was also witnessed by His Excellency, Dr. Johan Syahperi, Ambassador of the Republie of Indonesia to Singapore, the Economic Development Board, and Mr. Ismeth Abdullah, the Chairman of the Batam Industrial Development Authority.

The training program and attachment to be provided by Nanyang Polytechnic will comprise of a workshop on Curriculum Development and Speeialist Teacher training courses in the specialization areas of Electronics, Information Technology, Mechatronics, and Manufacturing Technology.

The presence of Batam Polytechnic, especially with the assistanee from Nanyang Polytechnic, will continue to improve the investment climate in Batam Island as more quafified mid-level skilled technical manpower become more widely available. Batam Polytechnic is confident that this cooperation will improve the skills of its teaching Staff, who in turn, will provide an appropriate curriculum to meet current industrial needs, and produee graduates who can easily adapt to any working environment with their acquired skills.