Bandung Polytechnic for Manufacturing (POLMAN-Bandung) is the first polytechnic in Indonesia which was known as Swiss Polytechnic for Mechanics – Bandung Institute of Technology (PMS-ITB).
The establishment of POLMAN Bandung is the result of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia Goverment and Swiss Confederation. An the agreement was signed on 6 December 1973 by foreign minister Adam Malik and the ambassador of Swiss Confederation Dr. Max Feller, which the establishment of Swiss Polytechnic for Mechanics (PMS-ITB) was one of the items.
Generally, Swiss provided learning material, practice equipment, workshop building, and technical assisstance meanwhile, Indonesia built up lecture building, administration office, other supporting facilities and provided education operational budget. Then in the actualization, Swiss Confederation appointed Swiss Contact (Swiss Technical assistance foundation) as the project executer from Swiss, and Indonesia appointed Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) as the executer from Indonesia.
In 1975, the development of PMS-ITB campus located in Kanayakan, Dago Bandung, was started.
The education process was started on January 1976 with 3 study programs : Precision Tool Making, Maintenance Mechanics, and Drafting and Design. The capacity in Diploma 3 at the time was only 52 students for year.
On 24 March 1977, PMS-ITB was formally declared by Minister of Education and Culture, Syarif Thajeb. The day was set as the day for dies natalis of PMS-ITB.
Known as Polytechnic pioneer in Indonesia, PMS-ITB successfully developed vocational higher education goal that gained appreciations from industries. The graduates of PMS-ITB were accepted by the job market, so that by this success, Indonesian Goverment established many other state Polytechnics all over the country and formed Polytechnic Education Development Center (PEDC) through the world bank assistance.
Different from academic educational system that has a goal to prepare students that are able to develop knowledge and technology, polytechnic is vocational oriented higher education which has a task to prepare the student that are ready to enter job market based on their skills.
Besides gaining the knowledge and skills, POLMAN Bandung graduates are also equipped with work ethic formed by the learning process. One of the excellence possesed by POLMAN Bandung is the learning enviropment, so that the graduates have sufficient knowledge, skills, discipline, and work ethics.
Industrial language is created by applying learning method acknowledged as Production Based Education (PBE). By PBE method, students are directly involved in manufacturing and developing products, both standard and costumized for the industrial needs that is integrated in educational curriculum.
Through this approach, students will gain advantage of experience to train the skills which are obviously needed by industries. On the other hand (by this industry) POLMAN bandung can evaluate its educational program in order to graduate students with competencies appropriate with the latest industrial needs.
In 1991, POLMAN Bandung started to develop cooperative 3-2-1 based education approach to confirm the industry role in developing professional human resources which are reliable and competent in its field. By apprentice program in industry in terms of cooperative 3-2-1 based educaion, Polman Bandung partners industry to implement Diploma 3 vocational education with 3 semesters of basic education in Polman, 2 semesters of apprentice program in industry, and 1 semester advanced education located in Polman campus. Through industrial apprentice program for 1 year , students will get the actual work experience in order to improve knowledge, skills, and work ethics on the other hand, 1 year apprentice program can give feedback to Polman Bandung regarding technology level in industries. Besides, it can hekp industry to fill work-position in expert technical level. In 10 years, there have been more than 100 industries (companies) collaborating in the apprentice program which has increasing trend.
Responding to national industry needs of expert in foundry, in 1987 Polman Bandung opened study program of foundry. In the/next year (1988), foundry study program was started.
In 1995, Polman Bandung opened Automation and Mechatronics Engineering Study Program. In the same year, bilateral cooperation between Indonesia goverment and Switzerland Confederation ended. So that Polman Bandung Educational program was assisted through DIKTI (Higher Education) development program as DUE-Like, TPSDP,IMHERE-IGI.
In 2002, all study programs in POLMAN Bandung achieved “A” for their accreditation from national Accreditation Body of Higher Education of National (BAN-PT).
1.Higher Education Service
2.Design & Manufacturing Metal Casting Products, Precision Tooling, Production Machine & Control System
ISO 9001-2000 certificate for POLMAN Bandung is the first ISO certificate given to the state higher education in Indonesia, and at present, the certificate is ISO 9001-2008. It state /confirms that POLMAN bandung works hard to be in the front line in developing and improving national education quality to produce competent, intellegent, discipline, and professional human resource.
In 2002 POLMAN Bandung was selected as one of centres in Indonesian German Institute (IGI) program, which supervised 4 institutions :
P3TKINM, BLKI Serang, STT tekstil, and SMKN 6 . The aim of this program is to increase the competency and productivity of small and medium industries.
To increase its role in technology application for small industry, POLMAN Bandung established a cooperation with Yayasan Indonesia Baru (a foundation) in Ceper, Klaten which the aim was to strengthen the small and medium Industry of foundry in ceper. Then in academic year 2003/2004, exactly in September 2003, Polytechnic Manufaktur Ceper was founded.
Cooperation in educational field strengthened POLMAN Bandung position as the pioneer of polytechnic higher education. In 1985, POLMAN Bandung was selected by PT.INCO-Sumitomo Sorwako, South Sulawesi to develop INCO-Sumitomo Training Center, which at the present time becomes Akademi Teknik Soroako. Then 1n 1995, PT.TIMAH in Bangka Island appointed POLMAn Bandung to develop Politeknik Manufaktur Timah. In the early of 2009, Polman bandung gained the trust to be a planner consultant for Polytechnic establishment.