Indonesia’s Research Sector Faces Overhaul as New chief prioritizes Consolidation
Jakarta, Indonesia โ- november โ14, 2024 โค- A sweepingโ restructuring of Indonesia’s research landscape is underway following the appointment ofโข a newโข head of the National Research โand Innovation Agency (BRIN). The incoming leader is prioritizingโข consolidation-both within โฃstate institutions and with regional governments-in key sectors including food security, energy, healthcare, and โenvironmental sustainability, aligningโฃ with the policy agenda of Presidentโ Prabowo Subianto.โ The โฃmove signals a potential shift in the direction of Indonesian โขresearchโค and development, raising questions about its impact on scientificโ independence and โlong-term innovation.
The โคoverhaul comes at a critical juncture โขforโ Indonesia’s โคresearch sector, โwhichโค has faced longstanding challenges relatedโค to funding, coordination, and bureaucratic inefficiencies.The new โstrategy aims to streamline efforts and enhanceโฃ synergy between โฃnational and local entities, particularly in areas deemed vital to national priorities. This consolidation effort will involve โboth “horizontal” integration with otherโค state institutions and “vertical” โalignment with regional โadministrations. The changes are expected to โimpact researchers,universities,and government โagencies involved in scientific and technological advancement across the archipelago.
The new chief is actively pursuing external horizontal consolidation with various state institutions, alongside a vertical one โฃwith regional administrations.Theseโ efforts specifically target fields such as food,energy,health,and the surroundings,mirroring President Prabowo’s โฃstated policy priorities. The initiative seeks to createโค a more unified and responsive researchโ ecosystem capable โof addressingโ Indonesia’s pressing national challenges.