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BRIN marks second anniversary, aims to improve country’s research ecosystem
Two years since it became a "research superbody" tasked with consolidating all state-sanctioned research and innovation efforts, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is now looking to put its challenging transition period behind and make up for lost time in developing Indonesia’s research ecosystem.
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Testing and experimenting: Researchers work in the genomic laboratory belonging to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Cibinong, West Java, on Aug. 10, 2022. (Antara/Yulius Satria Wijaya)
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wo years since it became a "research superbody" tasked with consolidating all state-sanctioned research and innovation efforts, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is now looking to put its “challenging” transition period behind and make up for lost time in developing Indonesia’s research ecosystem.
“If we want to take a look at what has changed [in the past two years], we have to take a look at what the problems were,” BRIN head Laksana Tri Handoko said on Sunday during an event to commemorate the agency’s second anniversary.” Back then, everything was lacking, be that funding or equipment, across all research units [throughout the country].”
Initially founded in 2019 as part of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo’s newfound focus on research and innovation, the BRIN was previously set up to coordinate research programs and policies among the country’s different research institutions.
The BRIN underwent a major change in April 2021 that had led the agency to become what observers called a “research superbody,” as it was tasked with usurping existing state-sanctioned research institutions, including those operating under the auspices of various ministries.
“After we integrated a total of 74 research units [into the BRIN], we now have the critical mass necessary [to improve the state of Indonesian research],” Laksana said.
To this end, Laksana said this would be the first year that researchers were expected to fulfill their actual performance targets, as opposed to being given the leeways afforded to them over the past two years due to the BRIN’s transition period.
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