PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk (GoTo), Indonesia’s largest digital ecosystem, and TikTok, the global entertainment platform, have partnered University Gadjah Mada (UGM) to develop Indonesia’s digital talent.
GoTo said in a statement on Friday that the duo have signed a memorandum of understanding with UGM to partner in the establishment of the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center – a digital talent development center at UGM’s Innovation and Creativity Gallery (GIK).
With this partnership, GoTo Group and TikTok will become the first two companies to partner with UGM in opening a talent development hub for Indonesia’s digital talent.
The plan to establish the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center is part of GoTo Group and TikTok’s mutual commitment to prioritize the recruitment and development of Indonesia’s digital talent, amid increasing requirements for digital talent in the country.
In addition to the recruitment of talent developed at the Center by GoTo Group and TikTok in the coming years, the talent will also be able to contribute to the growth of other technology players in Indonesia’s digital economy.
According to the statement, the tech center will be opened at GIK, UGM’s upcoming innovation and creation hub.
GIK UGM aims to focus on research and innovation to support students’ learning, in collaboration with the government and businesses.
GoTo Group and TikTok will inaugurate the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center in conjunction with the expected completion of GIK UGM’s construction in February 2024.
At the 914 sqm site, GoTo Group and TikTok will open a collaborative working space and supporting facilities for education, research, and development.
This marks a follow-up step from GoTo Group’s previous recruitment of digital talent from Yogyakarta and the surrounding area, as well as its commitment to establish technology centers across Indonesia.
“As one of Indonesia’s leading universities, UGM continues to educate and empower Indonesians to contribute to the country’s development,” said Arief Setiawan Budi Nugroho, S.T., M.Eng., Ph.D., Vice Rector for Planning, Assets, and Information Systems of UGM.
According to him, the collaboration with GoTo Group and TikTok as well as the opening of the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center is part of their efforts to bring out the best in the digital talents of UGM and train them to be innovative, creative, and competitive, so that they can further grow the country’s digital economy.
Herman Widjaja, GoTo Group Chief Technology Officer, said the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center reflects GoTo’s commitment to build the competency of Indonesia’s digital talent, which aligns with the vision of UGM.
“Together, GoTo Group and TikTok are fully committed to working with UGM to empower Indonesian tech talent, so that they can contribute to the growth of the country’s digital economy,” he said.
Stephanie Susilo, Executive Director, E-Commerce, TikTok Indonesia said that one of the important aspects of TikTok’s strategic partnership with GoTo Group is their shared commitment to contribute to the growth of the Indonesian economy, which includes enabling local talents to be innovative and competitive.
“Together with GoTo Group, we are humbled by the opportunity to announce our commitment to establish the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center, which marks the first step in our collaboration with the academia world to benefit and further contribute to the growth of Indonesia’s technology sector,
“We look forward to more collaborative initiatives with GoTo Group and UGM in our effort to empower Indonesia’s digital talents,” she added.
In addition to announcing the planned partnership to open its GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center, GoTo Group, TikTok and UGM are also exploring further opportunities to partner in the technology space, so that more Indonesian-developed technology solutions can be utilized to grow the country’s digital economy and competitiveness.
GoTo Group and TikTok are also committed to accelerating the development of digital talent, starting with the following initiatives: partnerships to develop machine learning-based solutions; an internship program for UGM students; an employee exchange program which will enable employees recruited by TikTok in Indonesia to be assigned to TikTok’s offices around the world; and development of educational resources to facilitate knowledge and experience sharing with UGM students, which will include online courses for students.
It is expected that through the program, GoTo Group will be able to enrich its platforms by providing a more robust user experience for its consumers.
With GoTo Group contributing up to 2.2 percent of Indonesia’s 2022 gross domestic product1 and to the development of millions of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the tech solutions will further solidify GoTo Group’s leadership in Indonesia’s digital space.
It is noted that in 2022, around 75 percent of GoTo Group’s new recruits for the year were employees based in Indonesia.
Also, in the same year, 80 percent of GoTo Group’s employees were based in Indonesia.
As of 2023, TikTok has close to 2,000 permanent employees based in Indonesia.