Institut Teknologi Bandung

Prof. Reini opened her speech by giving congratulations to all graduates from various levels. They include Doctoral Programs, Master Programs, Professional Engineers, and Undergraduate Programs. Then, she shared her views on lifelong learning. She said that lifelong learning is a pearl of wisdom. Learning should never stop even after students have finished their formal studies.

"In other words, learning is a good thing that we should do for a lifetime in all sectors of life, whether it is at the workplace, social life, and families," said a woman who was inaugurated as the rector in 2020.

Prof. Reini explained that lifelong learning is different from formal learning that students got from school or campus. Learning in schools or campuses applies a curriculum that has been designed with structured stages of learning. Some goals and targets are already set. Meanwhile, lifelong learning is generally informal, relatively unstructured, with zigzag patterned stages and without a fixed purpose or target.

Lifelong learning includes voluntary learning practices. It comes from some kinds of motivations that relate to people's environment or living conditions. Anyone who is consistent in doing this will enjoy great benefits.

Yet, lifelong learning is not an easy thing to do. Anyone who does it will face many challenges related to some common issues like time, money, and self-motivation because those three essential things own their limits in daily lives.

"Besides, we can not count on public assessment and recognition for the achievements we have achieved through informal learning—no new degrees and diplomas. Here we need creative ways to demonstrate the skills or knowledge that we have achieved so that others can accept it," added the Professor of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering ITB.

At the same time, she also explained volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity which were known as (VUCA). Shortly, volatility links to fast changes which take place without prior notice. Uncertainty relates to the limit of predicting and anticipating the following days. Complexity refers to the relationship between one thing and another so that a change in one causes another change. Lastly, ambiguity relates to values and measures that don't apply to a 'black-and-white' pattern. It means there is no such thing as 'one size fits all' and 'best practice' approaches in lifelong learning.

According to Prof. Reini, certain conditions met the concept of VUCA recently. The pandemic itself allowed anyone to experience VUCA. It was not a threat. It was precisely associated with the model of the association between humans, knowledge, and the life order.

"Human knowledge is very crucial to the development of civilization. Without knowledge, there will be no development of civilization," said Prof. Reini. "What the VUCA concept tries to convey is that we can not prematurely conclude that human knowledge has reached final truth, that human judgment criteria have reached final goodness."

Prof. Reini added that awareness of the things that occurred based on VUCA had supported new research programs. They were multidisciplinary in pattern increasingly, which were carried out collaboratively. These events were also valuable in developing new study programs and emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning.

Then, Prof. Reini was thanking all parents for entrusting their children to study at ITB. Prof. Reini also advised that ITB graduates should continue creating innovative things. The brilliant achievements of the graduates were the achievements of ITB and vice versa. At the July 2021 Graduation, ITB graduated 1,901 graduates: 45 Doctoral Program graduates, 595 Masters Program graduates, 107 Engineer Professional Programs, and 1,154 Undergraduate Program graduates.

Reporter: Adi Permana
Translator: Zahra Annisa Fitri (Perencanaan Wilayah dan Kota, 2019)