MATARAM (LOMBOKEXPRESS.ID)-– The Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education (Kemenristekdikti) has allocated Rp 1.8 trillion (approximately US$119 million) to fund research and development in Indonesian universities.
The funding, sourced from the State Budget (APBN) and the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), will support various research clusters, including independent, intermediate, and supported clusters, as well as special assignments such as research on the Citarum River, disaster mitigation, and priority villages.
Deputy Minister Stella Christie stated that this program aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s “Asta Cita” (eight priorities), specifically the fourth point focusing on human resource development and national science and technology. The collaboration with LPDP aims to bolster human resource development and science and technology for national development across universities and research centers.
This funding will accelerate priority national programs such as food security, energy security, and industrial downstreaming through research and innovation funding schemes. The initiative will also support the “Kampus Berdampak” (Impactful Campus) program and a holistic grand research call strategy.
The Rp 1.8 trillion budget supplements the existing Research and Community Service Information Base (BIMA), a platform used by universities under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology to manage and monitor research and community service activities. While BIMA doesn’t offer direct researcher incentives, the LPDP scheme will provide direct incentives to researchers.
Deputy Minister Christie emphasized the crucial role of research in boosting Indonesia’s economy. The goal is to establish Indonesian universities as leading centers of science and technology, contributing to national prosperity. (red)
Caption:
Deputy Minister (Wamen) of the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education, Stella Christie, delivering a speech during a working visit to the Unram Rectorate on Sunday, May 18th. (dok)
