MIND ID: Natural Resource Wealth No Longer Enough, Competitiveness Determined by Human Capital Quality

MIND ID Deputy Chief Executive Officer Dany Amrul Ichdan believes that natural resource wealth is no longer the main factor determining a country’s competitiveness. Amidst the development of technology and artificial intelligence (AI), a nation’s advantage is now more determined by the quality of its human resources (HR) capable of mastering science, producing innovation, and creating added value for the economy. According to him, changes in the global competitive landscape make investment in HR development a strategic necessity. Indonesia has a great opportunity to utilise its demographic bonus towards the Indonesia Emas 2045 vision, but this opportunity can only be realised through the emergence of a generation that is adaptive, has character, and is able to answer the challenges of the times. “A country’s advantage no longer depends solely on its natural resource wealth, but on the quality of its human resources who are able to master science, create innovation, and generate multiplied economic added value,” Dany said during his oration at the New Student Admission Open Session for the 2026/2027 Academic Year at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in Bandung. He reminded that the demographic bonus does not automatically become a competitive advantage. Without continuous strengthening of HR quality, this potential could instead turn into a burden that hampers the pace of national development. Therefore, universities are considered to hold an important role in building the leadership capacity of the younger generation. He encouraged students to possess three main characteristics: the ability to present new perspectives (distinctive), to continuously learn and adapt (adaptive), and to prioritise collaboration (inclusive) in order to remain relevant amidst rapid changes. Additionally, Dany introduced the concepts of Power of Belief, Power of Commitment, and Power of Legacy as the foundation for developing young generation leadership. These three principles are believed to be capable of producing leaders who are not only able to face change but also create change for Indonesia. He added that knowledge must not stop in the classroom or laboratory. Knowledge must evolve into innovation, technology, and solutions that provide real benefits to industry and society. In line with this, MIND ID positions talent development as a long-term strategic investment through strengthening competencies, research, collaboration, and the BigMIND innovation competition to produce a generation of innovators in the mining sector. The company also continues to encourage downstreaming, not only of mineral resources but also of HR development, in order to create added value and support the realisation of Indonesia Emas 2045.