KBRN, Jakarta: To significantly advance research in future urban transportation, the University of Indonesia's (UI) Center for Sustainable Infrastructure Development (CSID) of the Faculty of Engineering welcomed a delegation from Russia's Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU).

The visit, which underscores UI's commitment to international collaboration, brings together the expertise of SPbPU, a major university consistently ranked highly by Times Higher Education (THE).

Director of CSID, UI Faculty of Engineering, Mohammed Ali Berawi, in Depok, West Java, on Thursday, November 27, 2025, emphasized that developing data-driven transportation models is a strategic necessity for Indonesia.

“A scientific approach to integrating land use and transportation systems is an important foundation for sustainable urban development in Indonesia. Through collaboration with SPbPU, we are strengthening research capacity and opening up opportunities for the development of innovative and technology-based mobility solutions,” said Berawi, as quoted by Antara.

Meanwhile, Dean of the UI Faculty of Engineering, Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, stated that cooperation with SPbPU Russia is a strategic step in expanding the Faculty of Engineering's research network.

“The collaboration between the UI Faculty of Engineering and SPbPU is an important effort to strengthen data-driven urban mobility research. This activity not only enriches the academic insights of the UI Faculty of Engineering community but also serves as a foundation for developing adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable transportation solutions in response to the needs of major Indonesian cities,” said Kemas.

As a follow-up, CSID will initiate further discussions regarding joint research, collaborative publication opportunities, and potential academic exchange between the two institutions. This initiative aligns with the UI Faculty of Engineering's commitment to reinforcing multidisciplinary research and increasing academic contribution to sustainable urban development.

The Russian delegates included Dmitrii Plotnikov, Igor Ilin, Tatiana Kudryavtseva, Irina Rudskaia, Angi Skhvediani, and Marina Bolsunovskaya, all of whom have extensive track records in research on transportation systems, land use, and urban digital transformation. The meeting discussed scientific approaches and data-driven modeling to understand the interrelation between land use, transportation systems, and population movement patterns.

In the main presentation session, Plotnikov emphasized the importance of integrating spatial data, population data, and real-time analysis in building intelligent transport systems that are adaptive to the dynamics of urban growth. He also presented various international case studies showing how such an integrated approach can enhance the efficiency of mobility networks and regional connectivity.

The discussion between the speakers and participants yielded several recommendations for modern urban development in Indonesia, including the utilization of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in transport planning, the development of predictive models for regional growth, and the implementation of smart technology in public transport systems.

The discussion also opened up space for exploring joint research collaboration between the UI Faculty of Engineering and SPbPU Russia that is relevant to the context of Indonesian urbanization.

This activity holds significant importance in the national context, as urban mobility challenges in Indonesia are escalating due to population growth and high dependence on private vehicles. Major cities, such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, and Medan, require research-based approaches to formulate transport policies that are more adaptive, efficient, and sustainable.

The collaboration between the UI Faculty of Engineering and SPbPU Russia is expected to provide strategic scientific input for the government and policymakers in developing smart public transportation, reducing congestion, strengthening inter-regional connectivity, and accelerating the transition toward low-emission urban mobility. ***