Sinar Mas Land, through Digital Hub in collaboration with the British Council, Welcomes Delegations from More Than 25 UK Universities, Strengthening BSD City’s Position as a World-Class Education Township
BSD City, 11 February 2026 – Sinar Mas Land, through Digital Hub, welcomed a high-level delegation from the British Council together with representatives from more than 25 leading UK universities to the Banten Special Economic Zone for Education, Technology, and International Healthcare (KEK ETKI Banten), also known as the D-HUB Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in BSD City. The visit, which formed part of the British Council East Asia Education Week 2026, marked a strategic step in strengthening higher education cooperation between Indonesia and the United Kingdom, while reinforcing BSD City’s position as a World-Class Education Township developed by Sinar Mas Land. This visit forms part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and the United Kingdom, in line with the outcomes of President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto’s working visit to the UK on January 20, 2026, which underscored higher education as a key pillar in the development of human capital. According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the country currently has a population of approximately 287 million, with around 70 percent comprising Generation Z and Millennials. With Indonesia’s higher education participation rate approaching 50 percent, international collaboration has become crucial in responding to the growing demand for high-quality tertiary education in the country. During the visit, Sinar Mas Land, through Digital Hub, introduced UK university leaders to its vision of transforming BSD City into an integrated innovation ecosystem, supported by world-class infrastructure, regulatory certainty, and investment schemes tailored for international institutions to meet the growing demand for high-quality higher education. Through direct dialogue with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and the National Council for Special Economic Zones (KEK), the delegates explored opportunities for the development of international campuses, Transnational Education (TNE) programs, and long-term research collaboration. The participation of leading universities including King’s College London, Durham University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Bristol, the University of Glasgow, the University of Leeds, the University of St Andrews, Newcastle University, the University of Liverpool, and the University of Exeter—signals significant potential for increasingly concrete collaborative partnerships. Dr. Beny Bandanadjaja, S.T., M.T, Director of Learning and Student Affairs, Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology stated, “We recognise that Indonesia needs partners from other countries. The United Kingdom, for instance, has a long-standing history of developing high-quality higher education. Therefore, we hope that this cooperation—including the establishment of foreign university branch campuses in Indonesia—will contribute to enhancing and strengthening the quality, relevance, and impact of higher education in Indonesia. The establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Indonesia also facilitates foreign universities seeking to establish campuses in the country, as these zones offer special regulatory incentives provided by the Indonesian government to support campus development. Beyond that, we expect foreign universities not only to establish their own institutions, but also to collaborate with Indonesian higher education institutions. Through such collaboration, we hope Indonesian universities will be encouraged in progressing towards international standards. Summer Xia, Country Director Indonesia and Director for South East Asia at the British Council, said “At the British Council, we believe that international education partnerships are most effective when they are firmly rooted in local contexts and aligned with national priorities. Today’s visit offers a tangible opportunity for UK university leaders to see first-hand how Indonesia integrates higher education, innovation, and economic development through the Special Economic Zone (KEK) policy in BSD City. This is precisely why we chose BSD City as the venue for this year’s British Council East Asia Education Week. This integrated township reflects Indonesia’s vision of linking higher education with industry and innovation ecosystems. For international partners, this opens up opportunities to move beyond traditional models of collaboration towards more integrated, impact-oriented, and long-term sustainable partnerships.” Bambang Wijanarko, Head of the Bureau for the Control of Special Economic Zones (SEZ), Secretariat General of the National SEZ Council, expressed his support for the British Council’s visit, in line with the direction and commitment of the President of the Republic of Indonesia to strengthening partnerships with leading universities in the United Kingdom for the development of higher education within SEZs. During the President’s visit to the UK, strengthening partnerships for the establishment of new universities in Indonesia became part of the strategic agenda. “We welcome and look forward to the presence of leading UK universities in the ETKI Banten SEZ (D-HUB SEZ) and the Singhasari SEZ as quick wins in realizing the President’s directive to strengthen partnerships between Indonesia and UK universities.” At the same occasion, Irawan Harahap, CEO of Digital Tech Ecosystem & Development Sinar Mas Land, added, “We warmly welcome the visit by the British Council together with representatives from more than 25 leading UK universities, which marks a strategic momentum in strengthening BSD City’s position as a global center for education and innovation. Through Digital Hub and the KEK ETKI Banten, we are not only providing physical infrastructure, but also building an integrated ecosystem supported by regulatory certainty, competitive investment schemes, and strong connectivity between campuses, industry, and government. Education is a fundamental pillar in the development of future cities, and through this international collaboration, we hope to foster an environment that enables global education institutions to grow, collaborate, and make sustainable contributions to talent development and research in Indonesia.” BSD City has evolved into one of Indonesia’s largest and most ambitious integrated smart cities, spanning more than 6,000 hectares with a projected population of 4.5 million by 2035. The mega township is now home to Monash University, Indonesia, Apple Developer Academy @BINUS, Fuji Academy, BINUS University, Prasetiya Mulya, and Atma Jaya University. BSD City is also supported by a range of leading international schools such as ACS, Deutsche Schule Jakarta, Sinarmas World Academy, Jakarta Nanyang School, Sampoerna Academy, Genesis Global Community School, Ilon Academy, Wellington College Independent School Jakarta, and SIS. Through this delegation visit, Sinar Mas Land, through Digital Hub, reaffirmed its commitment to positioning BSD City as a strategic platform for international education and research institutions seeking