BINUS University's School of Computer Science pushes for globally high-quality AI and cybersecurity talent
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia has the world’s highest AI adoption rate, with 92 percent of knowledge workers already using generative AI in their daily tasks. It is also projected to face a shortfall of three million digital talents by 2030. The two realities are not contradictory but two sides of the same tension.
Indonesia is quick to adopt technology, but still needs many people who can design, develop, and manage that technology from within. Indonesia’s digital economy is projected to contribute more than USD 130 billion to GDP by 2025, a growth that requires a talent foundation not solely reliant on tool adoption.
This shortage is not about the number of graduates lacking, but the type of competencies the industry needs as it moves beyond conventional curricula. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 report identifies AI and big data literacy and cybersecurity as sectors with the fastest-growing demand over the next five years.
As many as 30 percent of companies in Indonesia report difficulty finding high-quality talent, even though there is no shortage of applicants. The industry is no longer seeking coders with basic abilities, but individuals who can build AI systems, design cloud architectures, secure digital infrastructure, and translate all of this into a complex business context.
In response to this, the BINUS University School of Computer Science has taken an approach that puts students in direct contact with that complexity from the early stages of their studies. Concentrations such as AI-Driven Development and cybersecurity are designed in collaboration with more than 2,200 active industry partners to ensure the curriculum remains relevant as market needs change.
Prof. Dr. Ir. Derwin Suhartono, S.Kom., MTI – Dean of the School of Computer Science at BINUS University, explains that students do not only learn about technology, but are conditioned to work like engineers by identifying problems without textbook solutions, choosing approaches from various possibilities, and taking responsibility for technical decisions within a business context.
“We are not only focusing on technical capabilities. We want to shape talents who can lead digital transformation and drive innovation,” Derwin says.
In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for Computer Science and Information Systems, BINUS University’s School of Computer Science achieved the second-best position in Indonesia overall. The ranking includes indicators such as Research and Discovery, Global Engagement, and Employability.
This achievement reflects not only local academic quality but the global technology industry’s broad recognition that BINUS School of Computer Science graduates meet the competency standards required in the digital job market.
That track record is built on experiences that place students in real-world standards from their studies. Students at BINUS University’s School of Computer Science learn to implement AI practically within the curriculum, supported by access to AI-based services integrated into the campus ecosystem.
Collaboration with Apple and Microsoft is also undertaken to ensure they engage directly with global technology industry standards. Meanwhile, involvement in hackathons, ICPC competitions, and innovation challenges measures their abilities under international competitive pressure.
The second-best position in Indonesia in the QS 2026 ranking provides a response that rests not only on institutional claims but on objective assessments covering academic reputation, industry trust, and research strength together. Coupled with consistent data, 80.1 percent of BINUS bachelor’s graduates were employed at graduation and 36.2 percent were absorbed into global companies.
“The industry does not have time to retrain new graduates. What we ensure is that our students have already faced that complexity during their studies, before their first day at work,” says Derwin.
Alumni of the BINUS University School of Computer Science are now pursuing careers as software engineers, AI engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity specialists, and product managers in national and multinational technology companies.
The three-million digital talent gap by 2030 is a challenge that requires educational institutions capable of producing graduates with the right depth of competence and a verifiable track record.