UPH Civil Engineering Participates in Indonesia Development

Pelita Harapan University participated in Indonesia Construction Development, one of them is through holding a seminar with the topic of ?Strategic Program to Improve Competitiveness of Indonesian Construction Development? held by UPH Civil Engineering on 2^th April 2018 in Building D room 503 UPH Lippo Village. The seminar was an annual event of UPH Civil Engineering or Civil Engineering Week (CEW). It invited four speakers who are experts in their respective fields; they are Prof. Manlian Simanjuntak, ST., MT., D.Min, Professor of UPH Construction Management, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harianto Hardjasaputra, member of DKI Jakarta Building Experts Team, Dr. Ir. Wiryanto Dewobroto, MT. Member of Construction Safety Committee; Ir. Wahyu P. Kuswanda, the owner/director of PT. Teknindo Geosistem Unggul.

According to Prof. Manlian, the moderator and the speaker of the seminar, this topic is an important topic because construction development is also the headline of government?s program. It is also conveyed exclusively by the President to the PUPR ministry so that the Indonesian Construction industry can achieve the best performance nationally. Moreover, it is proved by the spirit of construction from the government, which is done with various ?breakthroughs? and delivered by the government in a better, faster, and cheaper way.

According to Manlian, the seminar also aimed to make the achievement of Indonesia Construction Development to be able to compete globally and internationally.

?At first the research is measured by the national level indicators, after that, it will certainly be able to compete at the international level. In the context of national construction, every government in this Republic must breathe the sustainability. Whoever the government, the sustainability of the construction planning should continue well?, said Manlian.

The seminar also discussed five breakthroughs that become strategic steps to increase the competitiveness. Those are; 1. Simplified regulations and laws 2. Interagency Coordination 3. Innovative Funding 4. Leadership 5. Implementation of Research and Technology?s results. This is also expected by the government, and how the response of the parties to each of these points.

According to Manlian, one of the causes of the failure of construction is because it has not been fully involved all parties, including government, private, and community so that the seminar also shared about what actually we need to do. It is not only given to one party but is expected to fully involve all parties, including government, private, and community.

In line with this, Harianto saw from academic aspect, he urged to not underestimate the theory. He thinks that theory and practice relate to each other. Theory tries to coordinate with the practice that is written so that it can become a lesson for us.

?The example in this seminar looks like it is only just a theory but it gives knowledge, readiness because if it is seen in practice, the accidents happened because of the ignorance of the technic. The most important thing here is how in the education, we try to coordinate between the theory and practice. Besides, the main problem is the human resources who usually are not ready yet, assuming that it is easy, only based on a picture. Though is not the same in the reality, the picture is also the result of a careful calculation process. Besides students, the lecturers also should be humble, willing to receive correction and feedback so that there will be reciprocity,? said Harianto. 

The seminar was attended by approximately 250 participants from Civil Engineering and the professionals in the construction field. To expand the range of the participants of the seminar, UPH Civil Engineering Master Program will review this topic of construction in Jakarta, on 5^th April 2018 at UPH Plaza Semanggi Postgraduate Campus, with topic ?Anticipating the Failure of Construction? with the representative speaker from the government; Dr. Ir. H. Syarif Burhanuddin, M. Eng; Director General for Construction of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing.