Temasek Foundation International and Ngee Ann Polytechnic on Thursday said it will partner Indonesia’s Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education (MoRTHE) on a new FinTech program to be implemented for tertiary students in Indonesia. 

Over the next three years, the three parties will collaborate to implement a FinTech learning programme for higher education providers in Indonesia. Some 180 academic leaders and faculty from Indonesian tertiary institutions will work towards developing the curriculum and capability. The program will span over two runs, ending in 2020. 

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by MoRTHE’s director of learning, Dr. Ir. Paristiyanti Nurwardani, and NP’s principal, Clarence Ti, on the sidelines of the third Indonesia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat in Bali, Indonesia. The collaboration was made possible by TF Intl which has committed a grant of about S$523,000 for this cross-border program.

The program will include experiential learning through lab crawls, hackathons, seminars, and workshops. The course participants will get to visit and network with FinTech developers and users to gain fresh insights into the emerging field, as well as take part in challenges that will inspire innovative applications for the financial sector. 

“There’s a lot our two countries can learn from each other as FinTech starts to impact the way our populations gain access to financial services. This partnership is just a start of a conversation on how we can best support the growth of necessary skills in both our countries,” said Clarence Ti, Principal of Ngee Ann Polytechnic in a statement.

“The digital economy is disrupting work and indeed, lives. This means that educators need to collaborate to reinvent and update their skills to keep pace with industry developments. This program will enable educators from Indonesia and Singapore to exchange knowledge and develop new ways to train aspiring youths in financial technology,” said Benedict Cheong, chief executive of Temasek Foundation International.

The institutions confirmed for the first run include: Institute Teknologi Bandung, Politeknik Negeri Jakarta, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Universitas Padjadjaran and Univeristas Airlingga.