PBAK 2026: Bima Arya Highlights Demographic Bonus as Capital Towards a Golden Era of Indonesia 2045
Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN NEWS Online – The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. H. Bima Arya Sugiarto, S.I.P., M.A., encouraged new students of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta to take advantage of the momentum of the demographic bonus by building competencies and character to take a role in realizing a Golden Indonesia 2045. This was conveyed in the first session of the Introduction to Academic and Student Culture (PBAK) talk show of UIN Jakarta 2026 entitled "Building a Future Indonesia: Transformation, Innovation, and Leadership of the Young Generation in the Digital Era" at the Harun Nasution Auditorium, Thursday (27/8/2026).
The implementation of the second day of PBAK presented a number of figures, academics, and practitioners. Among them are the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. H. Bima Arya Sugiarto, S.I.P., M.A.; Deputy Chairman III of the South Tangerang City DPRD for the 2024–2029 period, Maria Teresa Suhardja, B.Sc.; Scholar and Expert on Islamic and National Thought, Yudi Latif, M.A., Ph.D.; and Political Communication Analyst and Media Practitioner, Salsabila Syaira, S.I.P., M.I.P.
The talk show was part of the PBAK series on the second day of the first session which was attended by 1,432 new students, consisting of 229 students from the Faculty of Dirasat Islamiyah (FDI) and 1,203 students from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB). Meanwhile, the second session was attended by 1,817 new students from the Faculty of Sharia and Law (FSH) as many as 1,239 students and 578 students from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP).
In the presentation session, Bima Arya explained that the demographic bonus is an important momentum because Indonesia has a large number of productive age population. However, this momentum does not last forever and the end time can be different in each region. Therefore, the younger generation needs to prepare themselves so that this productive group becomes a driving force towards an advanced Indonesia.
"If we do not prepare, do not work on this productive thing to be the driver towards a golden Indonesia, then we will lose momentum," said Bima Arya.
He invited students to be able to read the signs of the times through two perspectives, namely science and wisdom and future and history. According to him, the development of science and technology must be balanced with wisdom, while orientation towards the future needs to be accompanied by the ability to learn from history.
Bima Arya also highlighted radical disruption that makes cultural and technological changes take place more quickly. According to him, the development of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) opens up space for the emergence of new actors while changing people's life patterns. Therefore, it is not enough for students to just follow changes, but must be able to read and master technology in order to take a role in it.
To deal with these changes, Bima Arya mentioned three competencies that need to be developed by students, namely digital skills, thinking skills, and human skills. Digital skills are needed to deal with technological developments, thinking skills form the ability to think analytically and make decisions, while human skills are related to the ability to build social relationships and networks.
However, he emphasized that competence must go hand in hand with character. Competence can lead a person to a certain position, but it is character that determines a person's ability to maintain his achievements.
"Competence will take you to the top. But what makes you stay at the top is character," he said.
According to Bima Arya, competence can be built through lectures, discussions, associations, and interaction with the community. UIN Jakarta students also need to expand their experience outside the lecture hall to strengthen their character. He assessed that UIN Jakarta has an educational tradition that is not only oriented to the academic space, but also blends with the environment and society.
"The UIN that I know is UIN which is not only an ivory tower, but also integrated, blending with the environment from time to time," he said.
After seeing firsthand the interaction of UIN Jakarta students in the talk show session, Bima Arya assessed that students still showed the characteristics of critical thinking. He appreciated the ability of students to ask questions critically while still paying attention to communication ethics.
"From the questions asked by the students, I see critical characteristics that are not lost, but are still wrapped in an elegant communication ethic," he said.
Bima Arya hopes that this critical character will continue to be maintained and strengthened with public communication skills. He invited students to build competence, expand networks, and take a role so that the momentum of the demographic bonus can become a strength for the younger generation in welcoming the Golden Indonesia 2045. The message is summarized in three steps that he emphasized, namely "build competence, build networks, take roles".
Documentation of the 2026 Introduction to Academic and Student Culture (PBAK) series on Thursday (27/08/2026), can be watched through the official YouTube channel of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.