Future Talent Hub Officially Launched: A Collaboration Between Universities and Industry to Shape Indonesia’s Top Digital Talent
- Hilda Halida
- Mar 13
- 3 min read
Jakarta, March 13, 2025 – The gap between young people's skills and industry needs remains one of Indonesia’s key challenges in realizing its Golden Indonesia 2045 vision. To help the Indonesian government address this, Pijar Foundation, in collaboration with Singapore-based Temasek Foundation, officially launched an initiative titled the Future Talent Hub (FTH).
Aiming to help Indonesia meet its need for 9 million digital talents by 2030, the FTH program is designed to empower third-year university students with digital skills aligned with current industry demands. In its first 2025 batch, FTH will partner with six Nahdlatul Ulama Universities (UNU). Participants will be able to convert their learning in the FTH program into academic credits within their university curriculum.
As a starting point, the FTH was launched at an event titled “Top Talent for Indonesia 2045: Bridging Higher Education Institutions and Employers in the Digital Era.” The event was officially opened by Prof. Stella Christie, Ph.D, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, and attended by over 100 cross-sector stakeholders from government, industry, academia, innovation networks, and civil society.
The initiative was welcomed by Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Technology, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D, who delivered a virtual message. He stated that FTH aligns with Asta Cita—President Prabowo Subianto’s eight strategic missions to achieve Indonesia Emas 2045. Minister Brian emphasized the need for synergy between higher education and the economy.
“Universities are expected to perform at their best as engines of economic development. They must systematically exchange knowledge with partners in industry and government. Collaboration is essential and must be strengthened,” he said.
Prof. Stella Christie, Ph.D, who delivered the keynote address, emphasized the need for transformation in higher education to respond to the evolving digital industry. “To build a tech-driven industry, we need to make higher education more strategic. There are two key ways to do this: by fostering a research mindset and developing a specialized yet adaptable workforce. We must also create demand through innovations emerging from higher education,” she explained.
Ferro Ferizka Aryananda, Chairman of Pijar Foundation, emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration to realize Indonesia’s development vision. “Cross-sector collaboration is the key to building a talent ecosystem that is not only job-ready but also innovation-driven. We’re proud to partner with Temasek Foundation, which shares our commitment to offering balanced training programs—combining global insights with deep roots in the Indonesian context,” Ferro stated.
Ng Boon Heong, CEO of Temasek Foundation, added “Mastering digital skills is essential for preparing the next generation to face the rapid transformation of industries. As part of Temasek Foundation’s efforts to enhance well-being across Asia, FTH is designed to strengthen workforce competitiveness through industry-relevant digital skills training. Together with Pijar Foundation, we hope this program continues to expand and reach even more beneficiaries.”
The launch also featured a panel discussion with experts from both academia and industry:
Prof. Ainun Naim, Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Higher Education Board
Achmad Adhitya, Ph.D, Special Staff to the Vice President of Indonesia
Jay Singgih, Deputy Treasurer of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI)
The discussion explored how digital skills can boost efficiency and creativity across various industries—sectors Indonesia is targeting in its vision for Golden Indonesia 2045.
In its initial phase in 2025, FTH will offer two primary learning tracks: Digital Marketing and Product Management. Each batch will undergo a 3-month online bootcamp designed to equip participants with practical digital skills tailored to industry needs. After completing a final project to demonstrate their learning, participants will proceed to an internship phase with industry partners.
As the program’s initiators, Pijar Foundation and Temasek Foundation are committed to supporting the government in producing outstanding digital talent—one of which is through this Future Talent Hub.
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