Students from the Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta work on control panels at the Indonesia Luban Workshop Intelligent Manufacturing Center. [Photo/Yangzhou Daily]

The Indonesia Luban Workshop Intelligent Manufacturing Center was officially inaugurated at Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta on Feb 28, marking a new milestone in China-Indonesia vocational education cooperation. The center also represents a decade of dedicated efforts by Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute to advance international vocational education cooperation in Indonesia.

At the unveiling ceremony, Wang Siping, cultural counselor of the Chinese embassy in Indonesia, emphasized the significance of this initiative. "2025 marks the 75th anniversary of China-Indonesia diplomatic relations. The launch of the center is a remarkable achievement in vocational education collaboration between the two countries and a vivid example of people-to-people connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative."

In recent years, China and Indonesia have strengthened their ties. China remains Indonesia's primary investment source, with over 1,000 Chinese enterprises operating in the country across sectors such as energy, telecommunications, power, mining, and digital economy.

"The key to sustainable business success is talent," said Qin Dong, assistant general manager of Conch Cement Indonesia. As one of the earliest Chinese cement companies to expand overseas, Conch Cement has faced a persistent shortage of local professionals with global perspectives and cross-cultural communication skills.

To address this challenge, Conch Cement Indonesia has deepened its collaboration with Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute and Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta since 2016. By launching the Indonesia Luban Workshop, the partnership has successfully created a seamless talent pipeline—where enrollment leads directly to employment.

The unveiling ceremony of the Indonesia Luban Workshop Intelligent Manufacturing Center is held. [Photo/Yangzhou Daily]

Luban Workshop's core strength lies in its engineering practice-based teaching model, which integrates theoretical instruction with hands-on training. Students develop their professional and innovative skills in real-world industrial settings. Recently, Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute and Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta jointly developed six bilingual courses tailored to industry needs.

So far, the initiative has trained over 300 skilled professionals equipped with language proficiency, technical expertise, and cultural adaptability. Among them is Astrid Bokau, who is currently the financial director at Conch Cement Indonesia's Jakarta headquarters.

Students from the Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta listen to an instructor from Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute. [Photo/Yangzhou Daily]

Beyond talent cultivation, Luban Workshop is also enhancing the capabilities of local educators. Dr. Ir. Irfan Purnawan, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta, said the faculty's teaching skills have significantly improved, and the university's overall strength has grown, receiving the highest rating in Indonesia's university performance evaluation last year.