History

Environmental Engineering Program (EnvE) has its origin from a school of engineering called Technische Hogeschool Bandoeng (THS), which was established on July 3, 1920. THS had only one faculty, de Faculteit van Technische Wetenschap (Faculty of Technical Science), and offered only one program called de afdeeling der Weg en Waterbouw (Department of Road). This program was later developed into several subprograms: Sub Afdeling der Wegen en Structuur (Sub Department of Road and Structure), Sub Afdeling der Arschitectuur en Stedebouw (Sub Department of Architecture and Urban Planning), and Sub Afdeling der Sanitaire (Sub Department of Sanitary).

THS as an institution was changed by the government of Indonesia on March 2, 1959, and became Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). ITB was built as an institution of higher learning of science, technology, and fine arts, with a mission of education, research, and service to the community. As the demand for sanitary engineers increased, Sanitary Engineering Department was built on October 10, 1962, as a department under the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning by the decree of ITB Rector Number 18/PBB/ITB of October 6, 1962.

The growth of industries and urban infrastructure development had urged the need for environmental improvement. In 1982, the Government of Indonesia enacted the Law of Principal Rule of Environment Management. These challenges resulted in the need to broaden the scope of sanitary engineering to not only deal with human health but also with protecting the environment from pollution. Based on the above argument, on January 5, 1984, the name of Sanitary Engineering was changed to Environmental Engineering by the decree of Directorate General of Higher Education, Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture Number 119/DIKTI/Kep/1984.

Since 2000, the status of ITB  became a semi-government university, as a pilot of the new management of state universities in Indonesia.  The Government Decree Number 155 of 2000 about the decision on ITB as Legal Enterprise (Badan Hukum Milik Negara or BHMN) has opened a new path for ITB to become autonomous. The status of autonomy implies a freedom for the institution to manage its own business effectively and efficiently and to be fully responsible for the planning and implementation of all programs and activity, and the quality control for the attainment of its institutional objective. In 2006, along with academic structural changes in ITB, the Department of Environmental Engineering became the Environmental Engineering Program under the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

After long discussions with stakeholders especially in, existing demand for water and sanitation infrastructure development has driven the emergence of Environmental Infrastructure Engineering. Approval of the ITB academic senate was obtained in 2012.  This new program started in 2013/2014 and become another program working on environmental issues under FCEE.

As a branch of engineering, The Environmental Engineering Department in the Institute of Technology Bandung (TL ITB) has developed since the beginning of its establishment due to the increasing demand for environmental engineers. At the moment, the curriculum of the program is to fulfilling the demands of both public and industry. However, due to the high demand in the industrial field, the graduates who work as public service in the area of water and sanitation are not sufficient, therefore the government as the stakeholders, especially the Ministry of Public Works demanded the ITB to provide graduates who specifically designed to work in public service.  

As a blend of civil engineering and environmental engineering, the program provides students with the tools to solve future environmental problems and water issues. The courses in, for example, environmental health and water chemistry are preparations for careers as environmental infrastructure engineers. Students will increase their understanding of the properties and functions of water and ecosystems, learn how to control the pollution caused by human activities as well as provide the needs of the society without endangering the environment.

To meet this societal need for qualified competence in planning, design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure systems in soil and water, this program promotes the personal development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are needed to start working as a professional engineer in the field of infrastructure and environmental engineering. An important task is to be knowledgeable and responsible for the interface between urban development and the environment.

By 2013, the status of ITB became autonomous state university (Perguruan Tinggi Negeri Berbadan Hukum or PTN BH) with The Government Decree Number 65 of 2013. ITB becomes autonomous either in academic or non-academic. It was an improvement action of the government to upgrade the quality of universities. In addition, by the new status, there are broader opportunities for students in Indonesia since ITB has to accept a minimum of 20 percent of outstanding students from less-fortunate families.