Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

On Friday (23/8), the Faculty of Economics and Business, Gadjah Mada University (FEB UGM) held a Book Launching event entitled “Transformasi Ekonomi Berbasis Digital di Indonesia: Lahirnya Tren Baru Teknologi, Bisnis, Ekonomi, dan Kebijakan di Indonesia” by Prof. Dr. Sri Adiningsih, M.Sc., Chair of the Presidential Advisory Council (WANTIMPRES). The event that was held at the FEB UGM Auditory Learning Center also took part with Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X as the keynote speaker. The book, written by one of the FEB UGM lecturers, provides an understanding and contribution of thoughts on digital-based economic transformation in Indonesia.

Eko Suwardi, M.Sc., Ph.D., (Dean of FEB UGM) claimed to be proud of Ms. Ning (nickname from Sri Adiningsih). "We are very proud of Ms. Ning that she is currently serving as the Presidential Council, but she still had time to think about this digital era and then she wrote. This is a form of her concern and emphasized that she was truly a professor of FEB UGM, "he said. After launching the book, the event continued with discussion.

This discussion is a form of response to the development of the digital era that brought Indonesia into the "Break Out" quadrant, namely a group of countries whose digital adaptation scores were relatively low but evolved quickly and had the potential to become a country with a strong digital economy. The discussion invited Prof. Dr. Didi Achjari, M.Com (Professor of FEB UGM), Dr. Novi Kurnia, M.Sc, M. A., (Chair of the Master of Communication Science FISIPOL UGM), and Dr. Frederica Widyasari Dewi, M. B. A., (President Director of PT. KSEI) as the speaker. Sekar Utami Setiastusi, M.Sc., Ph.D., (Head of the Macroeconomics Dashboard Department of Economics, FEB UGM) was present and guided the discussion.

The 4.0 Industrial Revolution by bringing the latest technology, such as Mobile Internet, Cloud, Internet of Things, and Big Data can increase the adoption of digital technology in Indonesia. This has an impact on the development of digital-based businesses, especially e-commerce, online transportation, and financial technology. Especially in 2019, internet connections will increase along with the development of the Palapa Ring project and supported by an electrification ratio expected to reach 99.98%. This is a sign that the development of communication and internet networks in Indonesia is ready. However, in the face of the digital transformation there must be challenges and problems that must be anticipated and overcome. Readiness to develop physical infrastructure must also be balanced with the readiness of Human Resources (HR) to be able to drive a digital-based economy that can improve Indonesia's competitiveness.

The event was also attended by member of Presidential Advisory Council, Chairperson of Bank Indonesia Yogyakarta, Untung Nugroho (Chairperson of the OJK Yogyakarta), Drs. Sapto Amal Damandari, AK., CPA. (President Commissioner of PT Jasa Marga), Sulistianto (PDIP), as well as leaders and deans of various universities throughout Yogyakarta.

"This book is a brilliant and timely work. Because we are already in the digital era or the 4.0 revolution," said Mayjen Pol Drs. Sidarto Danusubroto, S. H. (member of the Presidential Advisory Council). Sidarto added that this book is a crystallization of thought for several years and through several activities with competent resource persons who have foreign policy objectives and regional development in Indonesia.

Source: Leila Chanifah Zuhri / Sony Budiarso