East Java Education and Sports Agency Partners with HGI Shanghai, Prepares Digital and AI Talents for Industry Needs 

JAKARTA - The East Java Provincial Education Office (Disdik) has established a partnership with HGI Research Centre, Shanghai, China, to strengthen the development of digital talent and vocational education that is directly connected to industry needs.

This commitment was marked by the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) during the official visit of the East Java Education and Sports Agency delegation to Shanghai on June 8-12, 2026.

Through this cooperation, both parties will explore a number of programs in the fields of education and industry integration, digital talent development, school partnerships with the business world, to international exchange and collaboration programs.

The Head of the East Java Provincial Education Office, Aries Agung Paewai, said that the development of the digital industry requires the education world to prepare human resources who not only master technology, but are also able to compete globally.

"Through collaboration with the HGI Research Center and a number of leading vocational campuses in Shanghai, East Java hopes to produce young talents who not only master cutting-edge digital skills, but also have communication skills and an international vision to support the scale-up of regional industries," said Aries in a statement, Monday, June 22.

During the visit, the East Java delegation participated in discussions on the preparation of joint curricula, strengthening school-industry relations, and international vocational skills certification opportunities.

One of the concepts that is of concern is the "Chinese + Class Skill" program, which is a learning model that combines Mandarin language mastery with professional skills needed by the industry.

Through this approach, language learning is not stand-alone, but is combined with practices in the game design sector, digital media, content production, and various other creative industries. The model is considered relevant to the needs of the workforce, which increasingly demands technical skills as well as cross-cultural communication.

Vice President of HGI Research Centre, Wang Chen, assessed that vocational education must move beyond the mastery of technology alone and be closer to actual industry practices.

"Vocational education is not just teaching the use of tools, but helping students understand how the industry works and projects are run. In the era of AI, companies are no longer just looking for individuals who can use AI, but who are able to effectively utilize it. Therefore, HGI Research Center is committed to bringing industry projects, processes, and standards into classrooms in Indonesia," explained Wang Chen.

In addition to discussing with the HGI Research Centre, the East Java delegation also visited a number of vocational education institutions in Shanghai, including the Shanghai Qunxing Vocational and Technical School, the Shanghai Caoyang Vocational and Technical School, and the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Vocational College.

The visit gave an overview of the implementation of industry-based education in various fields, ranging from animation, game production, digital media, to the use of artificial intelligence and digital technology in the development of culture.

On the same occasion, Deputy Director of the Education Bureau of Putuo District, Shanghai, Wang Zhenfei, explained the development of education in his region which since 2020 has implemented artificial intelligence education and has become one of the AI pilot areas in Shanghai.

According to Wang, Putuo currently has 160 educational institutions with more than 100 thousand students and about 12 thousand teaching and education personnel. At the same time, the modern vocational education system continues to be strengthened to ensure graduates have competencies that match the needs of the future industry.

The cooperation between the East Java Education Office and HGI Research Centre is expected to open wider access for students to acquire digital skills, international learning experiences, and a closer understanding of the changing needs of the labor market as technology develops.