To Increase Employment Opportunities, the Government Invites Universities to Support 18 Downstream National Production Projects (PSN)
Jakarta – The government has emphasized the crucial role of universities in supporting the acceleration of the downstreaming of the national industry, a key driver of job creation. President Prabowo Subianto has urged universities across Indonesia to strengthen research and innovation aligned with industry needs, particularly in support of 18 downstream-based National Strategic Projects (PSN). This step is considered crucial to ensuring the availability of high-quality and highly competitive human resources (HR).
President Prabowo delivered this directive during a closed-door dialogue with approximately 1,200 rectors and professors from various universities at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta. The government views universities as the primary foundation for developing superior human resources with mastery of science and technology, in line with the major industrialization and downstreaming agenda that will be accelerated in the coming years.
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi explained that university research plays a strategic role in supporting the government’s priority programs, from food and energy self-sufficiency to strengthening the national industry. He stated that accelerating downstreaming requires not only physical investment but also the readiness of qualified human resources. “Preparing for industrialization and downstreaming, which will begin with a major groundbreaking this year, certainly requires human resources who master science and technology,” Prasetyo said in a press conference following the meeting.
As a concrete commitment, President Prabowo has decided to increase the research budget for universities by Rp 4 trillion. Prasetyo emphasized that this additional budget is expected to strengthen the national research ecosystem and encourage closer collaboration between universities and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). “We hope this will strengthen research at all universities, including in collaboration with BRIN,” he said.
Strengthening campus research is considered crucial as the government targets national technological independence. The President also urged the academic community to actively participate in developing applicable innovations that meet industry needs. Thus, university graduates are expected to be not only work-ready but also capable of creating new jobs through technology-based innovation and entrepreneurship.
In addition to research issues, the government is also focusing on financing higher education and expanding access to scholarships for students. Prasetyo revealed that of the approximately 9.9 million active students in Indonesia, the number of scholarship recipients remains relatively limited. “The President instructed us to recalculate and reformulate how to maximize the number of scholarship recipients,” he said.
The government hopes that strong synergy between universities, industry, and the state will produce superior human resources who will become the backbone of industrial downstreaming. This effort is believed to not only strengthen national competitiveness but also create broad and sustainable employment opportunities toward the vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045.
