Students advised to prepare for globalization

By Achmad Nurhoeri

DEPOK, West Java (JP): Indonesian university students must be able to grasp and interpret rapid world change in order to safeguard the nation from the pitfalls of globalization, several academics said over the weekend.

"If students cannot interpret cultural changes, they will leave this nation bewildered by globalization," Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, the dean of the School of Economics of the University of Indonesia, said at a seminar on Saturday.

"Remember, the only thing that is permanent is change itself. If you do not know how the latest technology works, you are below American high school students who are familiar with it," Dorodjatun said.

The seminar on the relations between globalization and campus life was held to mark the School of Economics' 45th anniversary. Political scientist Juwono Sudarsono also addressed the forum.

Globalization is bringing down barriers created by time and distance, Dorodjatun said."We are now entering the global village where technology will be a new kind of imperialism."

He expressed concern with the poor image of contemporary Indonesian intellectuals.

"Today's intellectuals are in stagnation. They only quote foreign opinions without giving out their own solutions," he said. "The main problem we are facing today is how to bridge our culture with global culture without losing our dignity."

Dorodjatun reminded the students that they have "accidentally" become part of the nation's elite. "Only five percent of Indonesia's population has the privilege to go to university," he said, adding the nation has high expectations in return.

Juwono, the former dean of the university's School of Social and Political Studies and now vice chairman of the National Resilience Institute, underlined the responsibility that university students shoulder.

"You are members of the society's creme de la creme. The nation's future is in the hands of this group," he said.

Juwono made a frightening comparison between today's intellectual community in Indonesia and the intellectuals in the Soviet Union just before its demise.

"Soviet Union collapsed at the time their leaders and intellectuals became more and more disloyal to the people. They lived like capitalists while the people rotted," he said. "What happened in the USSR in 1991 could happen here in Indonesia .. There is a tendency especially when you observe that the reality is going further away from the Pancasila ideology."

Dorodjatun said the future intellectuals of Indonesia must reject the distortions found in politics and the economy.

"If we remain indifferent to these (distortions), our values will be eroded," he said. "If that happens, we will not know what is wrong and what is right."

Simply put, Dorodjatun said, "If you let corruption continue, you will end up in a corrupt society."

Juwono said students must strive to improve their so far poor ability to express and communicate their ideas.

"We are way behind in making presentations. Our education system does not teach students how to present their views properly," he said.

He recalled that an Indonesian student sent on an assignment to the United States once "wet himself" because he was asked to make a presentation before an audience.

Saturday's seminar was one of the various activities held to mark the anniversary of the highly prestigious School of Economics, which has supplied many of the past and present cabinet ministers. Of the current top officials who are alumni of the school are Minister of Finance Marie Muhammad and Minister of Trade B.S Joedono.