CSIS Indonesia Visits Polibatam to Discuss Economic Resilience and the Readiness of Batam’s Industrial Workforce

Batam — Politeknik Negeri Batam (Polibatam) welcomed a visit from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia on March 9, 2026. The visit was part of CSIS Indonesia’s efforts to enrich its strategic studies on economic policy, commodity dependence, and regional experiences in responding to the dynamics of the global economy.

During the discussion, CSIS Indonesia sought to hear directly about Batam’s experiences and perspectives, particularly regarding the regional economic landscape, dependence on partner commodities, and supply chain challenges affecting industry. One of the issues discussed was strategic dependencies, referring to a region’s reliance on certain partners or commodities. The study found that Indonesia’s domestic food sector has strong potential for further development, while the country’s nickel exports remain heavily concentrated in the Chinese market.

The Director of Politeknik Negeri Batam stated that changes in global competition are driving an increasing demand for skilled technicians, especially human resources who are not only capable of operating machinery, but also of managing and controlling it effectively. He also emphasized that Batam, as a free trade zone, still depends on imports, particularly to support its manufacturing sector. The most significant challenge lies not only within the industry itself, but also in maintaining smooth supply flows, especially through maritime distribution routes.

He further explained that Batam’s manufacturing industry is still largely supported by imported raw materials. Nevertheless, Batam continues to strengthen its position, including through the promotion of cooperation in semiconductor manufacturing, which is now regarded as a strategic sector for the future.

Through this visit, Polibatam reaffirmed its commitment to preparing high-quality human resources who understand the needs of industry and institutions, in line with the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045. With the support of government programs in education, as well as the strengthening of the technopreneurship and technovation ecosystem, Polibatam is ready to contribute to producing graduates who are adaptive, competent, and relevant to the needs of industry.

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