Against a backdrop of accelerating transformation in Indonesian higher education, IMT Atlantique has reaffirmed its presence in Indonesia alongside its partners in the FICEM consortium, on the occasion of a high-level institutional mission.
With a population of 270 million, stable economic growth of around 5%, and a student population expected to reach 11 million by 2024, Indonesia is a major player in Southeast Asia. As the region's only G20 member, Indonesia is clearly committed to strengthening its higher education system, in particular by training more PhDs in strategic fields such as energy, the environment, digital technologies and nuclear power.
In this context, the mission led in early May 2025 by Christophe Lerouge, President of IMT Atlantique, Yves Andres, Professor at IMT Atlantique and Head of the Energy Systems and Environment Department, and Stéphane Roy, Director of International Relations and Academic Partnerships, reaffirmed the structuring role of the FICEM consortium (French-Indonesian Consortium for Engineering and Management) and consolidated long-term academic and scientific cooperation for the institutions of the IMT group.
Ten years of active cooperation through FICEM
Created in 2015 under the impetus of IMT Atlantique, in ten years the FICEM consortium has become a key player in the landscape of Franco-Indonesian cooperation in the fields of engineering and management. Today, it brings together eight institutions from the Institut Mines-Télécom group and ten leading Indonesian universities, including the prestigious UI (Universitas Indonesia), ITB (Institut Teknologi Bandung), UGM (Universitas Gadjah Mada) and ITS (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember). Thanks to this unique structure, the FICEM has enabled over a hundred balanced student exchanges between the two countries, facilitating the creation of a genuine community of binational alumni, some forty of whom have obtained a double degree. This network is playing a growing role with French industrial players, particularly in the energy, digital and nuclear sectors.
In addition, FICEM has supported the development of fifteen bilateral research projects, seven of which directly involve IMT Atlantique. These projects are supported by schemes such as the PHC Nusantara, PhD thesis cotutelles, LPDP scholarships and high-level scientific stays (SSHN) supported by the French Embassy. Recognition of the consortium's excellence has twice been acknowledged by European evaluators through the award of the Erasmus+ Mobilité Internationale de Crédits (MIC) program, which has boosted the attractiveness of the group's training courses. Over the years, a dozen bilateral agreements have been signed, including several MoAs leading to double degrees.
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Four partner institutions at the heart of the dynamic
The May 2025 mission enabled us to consolidate ties with four strategic universities: ITS in Surabaya, UGM in Yogyakarta, ITB in Bandung and UI in Jakarta. These institutions, which rank among the highest in the country, share a common vision with IMT Atlantique and the other schools in the group, of training engineers to serve the technological and environmental transition. Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), for example, is renowned for its commitment to green innovation and the development of ambitious scientific projects such as EKEMI (endoscopic medical imaging), in partnership with IMT Atlantique. Associate professor’s exchanges and student mobility are also being structured as part of a growing collaboration. With its Smart Eco-Campus program, the university is establishing itself as a model of a smart, sustainable campus in Indonesia.
For Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), the mission provided an opportunity to take stock of current initiatives, including a PhD cotutelle thesis program on the circular logistics of electric vehicles. Very active in international cooperation, UGM welcomes several French students each year and develops projects with strong territorial roots in line with the sustainable development goals. Finally, the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), a benchmark institution in Indonesian higher technical education, works closely with IMT Atlantique in several areas: supply chain, nuclear engineering and industrial automation. Two PHC Nusantara projects already completed, combined with a history of double degrees, testify to the maturity of this partnership, which is now moving towards a revival of mobility and the development of new thesis PhD cotutelles.
Strategic opportunities and future prospects
Indonesia's strategic positioning in the Indo-Pacific region, at the heart of French diplomatic strategy, makes it a priority partner for higher education and research. The presidential visit scheduled for the end of May 2025 should confirm this dynamic, with the announcement of new industrial contracts and the active promotion of destination France to Indonesian authorities and institutions. In this respect, the FICEM consortium, thanks to its in-depth knowledge of the local university landscape, is set to play a leading role in future exchanges.
The training needs expressed by the Indonesian authorities are clear: nuclear engineering, cybersecurity, energy transition, smart cities, and sustainable development. Rapid urbanization (60% of the population lives in cities), environmental challenges and the creation of a new capital (Nusantara) open up concrete prospects for academic, scientific and technological collaboration. Numerous Indonesian funding agencies - LPDP, KOMINFO, BRIN - already recognize the quality of IMT Atlantique's training programs, which are often recognized in international rankings. IMT institutions are therefore well positioned to support this transition and meet the growing skills needs of young Indonesians, nearly 40% of whom were born after 1996.
Published on 14.05.2025
by Marylene HUC
