Depok-The Master of Applied Creative Industries study program, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI), presented the Head of the Depok City Regional Development Planning Body, Dr. H. Dadang Wihana, M.Sc., CRGP, as a guest lecturer in the Collaborative Creative Development course on March 3, 2026. With the theme “The Role of Government in Building a City Creative Ecosystem and Stakeholder Collaboration”, this guest lecture aims to enrich students’ insights into governance practices, particularly in the development of a creative economy based on cross-sector collaboration and support for creative entrepreneurs.
In his presentation, Dadang emphasized that the government can no longer operate in a sectoral and hierarchical manner. The paradigm shift from government to governance demands a collaborative approach involving various development actors.
He explained that from a collaborative governance perspective, the public is not merely an object of development, but rather a subject, actor, and customer of public services. The government acts as a facilitator, regulator, and orchestrator of collaboration. “The collaboration that is built involves various parties from the planning stage, decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of policies,” Dadang said.
(Foto: Dadang saat memberikan pemaparan mengenai ekonomi kreatif di Kota Depok)
As a case study, Depok City positions the creative economy as a regional development strategy. The creative economy is understood as the embodiment of added value based on ideas, intellectual creativity, science, technology, and cultural heritage. One of the strategic programs outlined is the development of Smart Culture within the local content of the education curriculum. Since 2023, the Depok City Government has been designing a media arts-based curriculum—covering apps, games, animation, and robotics—which will be implemented as a pilot project in several schools in 2024.
Furthermore, MSMEs are strengthened through training for new entrepreneurs, legal assistance, facilitation of halal certification and intellectual property rights, and access to financing and marketing through various festivals and digital platforms. Dadang said, “This model is known as the ‘Selling Together, MSMEs Rise to the Next Level’ approach, which integrates training, licensing, marketing, and financing in a sustainable manner.”
In the context of collaboration, Dadang introduced a pentahelix to heptahelix approach involving academics, business, government, media, communities, NGOs, and observers or smart city councils. This collaborative scheme is also designed as a partnership between Bappenas, universities, local governments, and communities to build a regional innovation hub in Depok City. This approach encourages linkages and matches between research, industry, and community needs, including addressing strategic regional issues such as flooding, congestion, waste, and pollution.
(Photo: Atmosphere of guest lecture activities with Dadang Wihana)
The Head of the Creative Industries Applied Masters Study Program, Dr. Dewi Kartika Sari, S.E., M.S.Ak., CA., emphasized that this course strengthens the sustainability dimension in the Collaborative Creative Development course. Ika said, “Students learn to design collaboration models while also needing to understand their impact on sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) perspective is an important framework in designing an inclusive and long-term-oriented creative ecosystem. For example, point 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through the creation of new entrepreneurs and strengthening MSMEs and point 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) through the development of innovation, media arts, and a creative hub ecosystem.”
One of the students, Ridwan Kusuma Al Aziz, assessed that the material provided a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between creativity, public policy, and sustainable development. “I saw that the creative projects we designed in class were evolving from innovation to contributing to society and sustainability,” Ridwan said.
Through this activity, the Master of Applied Creative Industries study program continues to strive to provide contextual, applicable learning that aligns with the global development agenda. The integration of collaborative governance concepts, creative ecosystem development, and the SDGs framework provides a crucial foundation for equipping students to become innovative and impactful agents of change.
