University graduates should be able to create jobs to contribute to economic development of this nation. To achieve the goal, the higher education can stimulate students to coin innovation of products or services for community.
In a National Seminar on Entrepreneurship under the theme ‘Innovation, Technology, and Social Entrepreneurship’ on Saturday (6/5) at meeting hall of A.R. Fachruddin B, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), Rector of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Prof. Dr. Ir. Kadarsah Suryadi, DEA stated, “Higher education creates employees, professionals, researchers, and innovative products. Indeed, excellence in innovation is one of the indicators of higher education.”
Besides, higher education institutions should concern with two other indicators. First, higher education should focus on excellence in teaching and learning. Second, higher education should develop sciences and technology and bear researchers. “In fact, Entrepreneur-based higher education may not entirely create entrepreneurs. We may not overlook learning process. Dealing with the indicator of sciences and technology, a nation will be developed if the sciences and technology are advanced,” he declared.
Prof. Kadarsah also recommended that higher education should collaborate with various parties such as government and industries. “Not all Higher education institutions possess a lot of financial supports to actualize their innovative work. Cooperating with industries will reduce the fund and ease production process to be commodity, while collaborating with central and local government is a supporting factor for entrepreneurs,” he asserted.
In the national seminar which was one of the event series of UMY’s 36th anniversary, Prof. Kadarsah added that a nation will be rapidly developed if entrepreneurs get engaged in the nation development. The entrepreneurs will run new business, while the employees will run existing business. “If new business exists, the economic value will grow, the job vacancy increases, and welfare also lifts. To bring it into reality, we should have a will to achieve the goal and should cooperate with various parties. Work hard, and never give up,” he motivated.
