Jakarta – The government is preparing strategic steps to strengthen the national higher education and research ecosystem by expanding doctoral scholarships for lecturers and reviewing research funding schemes sourced from a portion of state-owned enterprise (SOE) profits. These initiatives are part of efforts to develop superior human resources and increase Indonesia’s competitiveness in science, technology, and innovation.
President Prabowo Subianto stated that the government is paying serious attention to various proposals submitted by academics regarding strengthening higher education and national research. He believes that improving the quality of human resources must be a long-term investment supported by sustainable funding. “I think these proposals are excellent, and we will study and follow up on them for the benefit of national development,” the President said while receiving input from professors and university leaders.
President Prabowo also welcomed the idea of using a portion of state-owned enterprise profits to strengthen national research funding. He believes that research and innovation are crucial foundations for accelerating economic transformation toward a developed nation. “If our research is strong, the nation’s competitiveness will also be strengthened,” he emphasized.
Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, explained that the government would comprehensively review the various proposals before they were incorporated into policy. He stated that expanding doctoral scholarships was one step to increase the number of highly qualified lecturers and strengthen national research capacity. “We will thoroughly review the submitted proposals and report them to the President as material for policy formulation,” he explained.
Brian added that sustainable research funding is a crucial factor in driving innovation that meets the needs of industry and society. He believes collaboration between the government, universities, the business world, and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) needs to be continuously strengthened so that research results can provide tangible benefits for national development. “A strong research ecosystem requires synergy from all parties so that innovation can thrive and impact society,” he said.
By strengthening doctoral scholarships and developing a sustainable research funding scheme, the government is optimistic that the quality of Indonesia’s human resources will continue to improve. These efforts are part of the government’s commitment to building a higher education and research ecosystem capable of generating innovation, enhancing national competitiveness, and supporting Indonesia’s vision of becoming a developed nation.