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Unlocking the dormant potential of universities
A key to competitiveness is the universities’ intimacy with industry; and closeness with industry can only be achieved if they understand each other’s needs.
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Academic research performance is often measured by publications. For universities, delivering industrial solutions is not scientific research and outcomes are often difficult to publish. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education, Muhammad Nasir, recently revealed the government’s plan to allow foreign universities to operate in Indonesia. Later, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo echoed the policy in front of 600 university rectors at the 14th Campus Convention of the Indonesian Rector Forum in Makassar in early March.
The announcement has caused uncertainty among the more than 4,000 universities in Indonesia.
Indonesian universities potentially have the upper-hand as they are seen as the hosts in their own country, but they may be unable to compete with foreign counterparts. A key to competitiveness is the universities’ intimacy with industry; and closeness with industry can only be achieved if they understand each other’s needs. This is food for thought for all stakeholders in higher education, in that a strong industry-academia link leads to competitiveness.
Industrial research is usually triggered by commercial problems, which if not resolved immediately can have a detrimental impact. University research, on the other hand, is often done on purely scientific phenomena or personal academic interest. This creates the perception in industry that academics only conduct theoretical research that is less useful for industry. Industry often expects a ready-made solution from university research, not merely experimental results or theoretical frameworks.
