Building A New Smart Campus At Educational Institution X Towards Improving The Professionalism Of Cadets To Support National Defence

Abstract

Recent conflicts of Iran-Israel war have shown just how dependent modern nations are on high-tech warfare and cyber tactics, creating a need for a new generation of cadets which capable to master the digital battlefield. As one of the providers of national security in Indonesia, X educational institution needs to build the new way of training to equip the graduates with situational awareness and tactical readiness for facing modern military operations. Hence, this study aims to develop a New Smart Campus at Educational Institution X to enhance the professionalism of cadets in addressing national defence challenges in the era of modern warfare. In the context of global changes and technological advancements such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Network Centric Warfare (NCW), Educational Institution X has initiated the digitalisation of education through the Smart Campus. However, its implementation remains limited and has not been strategically integrated. Using Merilee S. Grindle's public policy implementation theory approach, this study evaluates the supporting and hindering factors in the implementation of the Smart Campus policy. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with in-depth interviews with policy makers. The results show that the development of the Warfare Technology Smart Campus (WTSC) in the form of a 1:1 scale Command and Control Centre (Puskodal) simulator can improve cadets' situational awareness and tactical readiness in modern military operations. In conclusion, the success of Smart Campus implementation is highly dependent on the synergy between policy content, institutional context, and the participation of strategic actors in the military education system.