ITB Cancels Opening Sharia Economic Masters Campus At PIK 2

BANDUNG - Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) has canceled its plan to open a postgraduate campus (S2) for Digital-Based Sharia Economics in the Sharia Tower which is included in the Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) 2 area.

Deputy Chancellor for Communication, Partnership, Alumnity and Administration (WRKMAA) ITB A Rikrik Kusmara said this step was taken after the university paid attention and considered various inputs from the public, academica and alumnus community.

"So ITB will review this cooperation plan more comprehensively, in addition to the aspect of education, it also considers social, environmental and sustainable development issues," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, June 30.

He explained that ITB will continue to develop a multi-disciplinary digital sharia economy program which he calls the first program in Indonesia, as a commitment to be a driving institution for the nation's progress at the campus location which is currently managed by ITB.

"By using educational facilities that are available at ITB Jakarta Campus, Ganesha Campus (Bandung), Jatinangor Campus (Sumedang), or Cirebon Campus," he said.

He explained that ITB has initiated the development of Islamic financial graduate and banking education programs with the spirit of supporting initiatives to strengthen the Islamic economic and financial ecosystems since 2007, and continuing to conduct studies and cooperation with various parties, both at home and abroad.

Regarding the plan to open the S2 campus at PIK 2, he said, starting in 2025, where the Sharia Tower which was founded in 2022 with the aim of becoming the center of the largest Islamic economic and business ecosystem in Southeast Asia, offers ITB to be involved in developing digital-based sharia economic multidisciplinary programs.

"Since 2024 the Sharia Tower has initiated cooperation with a number of universities, and in 2025 it offers ITB. Our involvement in responding to the initiative is carried out in an effort to expand access to education, increase literacy, and inclusion of the economy and Islamic finance in Indonesia," he said.

Currently, he said, ITB is in the initial study stage of the offer which began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding with PT Kukuh Mandiri Lestari, Monday (23/6), at the ITB Rectorate Building, until finally there were voices of rejection from several parties, including alumnus and students.

Responding to various developing public opinion and discussions related to university initiatives in developing digital-based Islamic postgraduate education and finance at the Sharia Tower, he said, ITB apologized to the public.

"With humility, we apologize for the emergence of various developing issues. We also thank you for all the attention of the community and alumni, who show love for ITB, as a public institution that continues to be a pillar of the nation's progress. We ask for support so that ITB can carry out the mandate of the nation's founders to carry out superior education and have an impact," he said.

Previously, ITBakan built a campus building in the PIK 2 area, Tangerang, Banten. A memorandum of understanding with PT Kukuh Mandiri Lestari was signed on Monday (23/6) at the ITB Rectorate Building.

The signing was carried out by the Chancellor of ITB Tatacipta Dirgantara and the President Director of PT Kukuh Mandiri Lestari (PIK 2) Lt. Gen. (Mar) Retired Nono Sampono.

However, this plan drew several criticisms, including one of them from Said Didu.

This wave of criticism is in general because PIK 2 is considered a problematic project even though it has a national strategic project, and ITB, which is part of the university, should be a public moral guard and should not be ridden by interests that are contrary to the public interest.