Unej Rector: KRAI 2026 to Birth Generation of Indonesian Robot Creators

The Rector of Universitas Jember (Unej), Iwan Taruna, stated that the ABU Indonesia Robot Contest (KRAI) held at his campus from 9–12 July 2026 is a strategic platform for producing a generation of Indonesian robot creators. “Robotics is a reflection of the future, combining various modern scientific disciplines,” he said in a statement in Jember, East Java. Unej has officially become the centre of attention in the national robotics world after opening the prestigious KRAI 2026 with the theme “Kung Fu Quest”. Twenty-eight university teams from across Indonesia competed fiercely, carrying a spirit of healthy competition, technological advancement, and multidisciplinary collaboration to win a ticket to the ABU Asia Pacific Robot Contest 2026 in Hong Kong. Iwan expressed pride in the trust placed in Unej to host KRAI 2026. “It is certainly an extraordinary honour for Unej to be entrusted as the host of the national-level ABU robot contest,” he said. According to him, discussing robotics means discussing the combination of electrical engineering, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and human creativity that produces real solutions to everyday problems. “With the rapid pace of digital transformation, mastery of technology will determine the nation’s future,” he said. Iwan also stressed that KRAI is not merely a competition, but a strategic learning space to birth a generation of Indonesian robot creators. “Students who are able to think critically and work solidly in teams at this event are those who will successfully lead us towards a Golden Indonesia 2045. Ultimately, great technology is born from a spirit of collaboration,” he stated. Full support was also conveyed by the Director of Learning and Student Affairs at the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Beny Bandanadjaja, who emphasised the importance of sportsmanship in producing the nation’s best representatives. “The best team from this event will become Indonesia’s official representative at the ABU International Contest in Hong Kong. I urge all participants to respect every decision of the panel of judges,” he said. He expressed hope that the competition would produce representatives capable of bringing honour to the nation on the world stage. Furthermore, an international-level KRAI event is planned to be held in Indonesia in 2027.