The Alumni Association of the SBM ITB held a forum entitled “SBM Then, Now, and Next” in Bandung (26/4). Held after the April 2025 SBM ITB Graduation Ceremony, the forum was supported by SBM ITB and the MFA Group.
This forum allows SBM co-founders to share their past journeys, current situations, and hopes for the future. At the opening of the event, Novrizal Utama, the Chairperson of the SBM ITB Alumni Association, highlighted the forum’s purpose as a platform to reflect on history, comprehend current circumstances, and shape the future of SBM.
“The purpose of this event is to reminisce, re-understand the beginning of SBM, and discuss current conditions and hopes for the future,” he said.
Dean of SBM ITB, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ignatius Pulung Nurprasetio, M.SME, also emphasized the importance of the alumni’s role in maintaining the school’s sustainability.
“In times of economic challenge, the alumni have shown a strong sense of moral responsibility. I am deeply grateful for all their support,” he said.
M. Firaldi Akbar, an alumnus from the class of 2006 and the owner of MFA Group, highlighted the challenge of fragmentation between the relatively young SBM alumni community and the more inclusive broader ITB alumni network. He shared his vision to strengthen alumni ties through IAITB West Java in four stages:
In the first year, the focus will be on inviting 100 companies to become part of the Board of Supporters through business collaborations. In the second year, a secretariat for IAITB West Java will be established to support the organization’s independence.
In the third year, the alumni association will prioritize the development of an emergency fund as working capital for future leadership. The fourth year will then focus on internal regeneration programs to ensure that future leadership can continue to thrive.
The discussion then continued with Ir. Budi Permadi Iskandar, M.SP., Prof. Dr. Aurik Gustomo, S.T., M.T., Deddy P. Koesrindartoto, Ph.D., and Prof. Donald C. Lantu, Ph.D. Budi highlighted the early journey of SBM, which was not only growing rapidly but also facing numerous challenges.
“In the first 10 years, SBM grew fast. The challenge was staying ahead without ‘eating’ itself,” he said.
Aurik added that since its inception, SBM has aimed to become an international standard business school. SBM finally achieved AACSB accreditation with extraordinary acceleration.
“The mission of Innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship is a form of growth mindset, where profit is obtained by increasing income, not by reducing employee salaries,” said Aurik.
Meanwhile, Deddy described today’s challenges, with the increasing number of new competitors in the world of education.
“According to game theory, we must have the mentality to be the best, because our biggest opponent is ourselves,” he said.
Donald C. Lantu emphasized that the education industry still holds significant potential. He expressed his hope that ITB can evolve into a more inclusive institution, offering international-standard education to a broader community.
During this discussion, alumni and lecturers from SBM ITB acknowledged that collaboration is essential for sustaining excellence and addressing future challenges.
