Institut Teknologi Bandung

The discussion was held as a form of ITB's awareness to take a role in cultural development and excellence in national civilization. For all this time, in various social issues and policies, also in its implementation in political and cultural life, technology was often associated with high cost economy, perceived as generation's moral wrecker, and opposite to the culture. "Higher educations nowadays are obliged to develop national civilization. By the understanding of science and technology (IPTEK--red), we can develop a better human civilization," said Rector of ITB, Prof. Ahmaloka, Ph.D in his speech.

This discussion comprised 3 sessions with different topics. The first session was about Future Culture and Science. The second session was about Indonesian Human and the Ethics of the Ecosystem in the 21st Century, and the last session was about National Cultural Transformation.

Future Culture and Science

The first session of the discussion invited two speakers: Dr. Bambang Wibawarta, Dean of Cultural Science of University of Indonesia and Prof. Bambang Hidayat, Professor of ITB. Prof. Djoko Suharto acted as moderator of this discussion.

Bambang Wibawarta explained about the importance of cultural strategy, because culture is a soft power which often had a bigger impact from hard power. Indonesia is still weak about this, so it's needed to build soft power through 2 things: education and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

"Government haven't been prepared, systematic, and programmed in doing development policies based on culture, i.e. development that places human in the highest position in the reformation," said Bambang.

Similar with Bambang Wibawarta, Bambang Hidayat gave a presentation about "Let's Enhance Culture and the Science Character". Before, he emphasized, "Don't define culture as something narrow. Culture is not only dances, but also all the tradition in the society which has divine values. Cheating and corruption is not a culture, they're merely traditions."

Further, he explained that culture in the society had to be kept with a modern interpretation and new environmental life. The modern culture is a culture with a touch of rationality based on science and technology. However, the culture also needs other soul expressions, such as literature, culture, and art. "Fortunately, ITB has the Faculty of Art and Design (Fakultas Seni Rupa dan Desain, FSRD) that balances its science and technology aspects," said Bambang.

In the end of the first session's discussion, Djoko Suharto concluded that science and technology had a role in developing culture in the future. It's because science and technology had already affected human activities a lot. To develop science and technology, it's needed to empower Indonesian education.