Balikpapan - Institut Teknologi Kalimantan has joined the Erasmus+ ATOLL project alongside universities, research institutions, and industry partners from six countries to strengthen digital and green competencies in the offshore renewable energy sector.

Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK) has expanded its international collaboration by joining ATOLL—Accountability and Twin-transition in Offshore Renewable Energy Skills Development. The project brings together 11 organisations from Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Greece, Portugal, and Italy.

ATOLL is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project under the ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CBHE-REGION scheme. The programme is funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Commission, with the University of Malaya, Malaysia, serving as the consortium coordinator.

The ATOLL project was developed to address competency gaps in offshore renewable energy education across Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The demand for skilled professionals in this sector continues to grow alongside the development of offshore wind power and floating solar photovoltaic systems.

However, these technologies require more than technical expertise. The industry also needs professionals who understand data processing, digital technologies, environmental management, sustainability principles, and accountability in the operation of energy infrastructure.

Higher education institutions in Southeast Asia continue to face challenges in producing graduates who possess the combination of digital skills and green skills required by the future energy sector. Through ATOLL, universities in Southeast Asia will adopt and develop expertise from European partners in the concept of the Twin Transition.

The Twin Transition is an approach that integrates digital transformation with the transition towards environmental sustainability. In the offshore renewable energy sector, this approach can be applied through digital technologies for infrastructure monitoring, data analysis, decision-making, operational efficiency, and environmental impact management.

ITK’s participation in the consortium creates opportunities to strengthen academic curricula, enhance the capacity of lecturers and students, develop learning methods that respond to industry needs, and expand international research networks in renewable energy.

This collaboration also aligns with ITK’s strategic position as a technology-focused university in Kalimantan, a region with significant potential for renewable energy innovation and sustainable development.

The ATOLL consortium is led by the University of Malaya and includes Universiti Malaysia Terengganu from Malaysia; Bataan Peninsula State University, Aurora State College of Technology, and Philko 18 Group of Companies Inc. from the Philippines; Institut Teknologi Kalimantan and Universitas Sebelas Maret from Indonesia; the University of Patras and ATHENA Research Center from Greece; Instituto Superior Técnico from Portugal; and the University of Catania from Italy.

Through knowledge exchange among universities, research institutions, and industry partners, ATOLL is expected to establish a more adaptive, accountable, and technologically relevant offshore renewable energy education ecosystem.

The collaboration represents a concrete step towards preparing Southeast Asian talent to support decarbonisation efforts and accelerate the transition towards clean energy.

For ITK, participation in ATOLL is not only an opportunity to expand international cooperation but also to strengthen the institution’s contribution to education, research, and innovation that create meaningful impacts on sustainable energy development in Indonesia and across Southeast Asia.