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Indonesia prepares new agency to bolster research and innovation
The government aims to organize and bolster research and innovation with the establishment of a new agency called the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
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Schoolchildren visit a booth displaying the Budi Luhur Smart Trash Bin (BLAST), a prototype trash can with ultrasonic sensor to detect movement, during the 2019 Puspiptek Innovation Festival in South Tangerang, Banten, on Oct. 4. (Sausan Atika/Sausan Atika)
T
he government has gone full throttle in establishing a new research agency that will focus on integrating research and innovation efforts conducted across the archipelago in a bid to advance scientific research beneficial to the country’s development.
The new body, named the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) will have same status as the Research and Technology Ministry in the Indonesia Onward Cabinet. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has appointed Bambang Brodjonegoro to lead the ministry and the agency.
Bambang, an old face in Jokowi’s Cabinet having previously served as the National Development Planning Minister/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) chief, said after being inaugurated last week that he aimed to realize the formation of the new agency as a priority during his first 100 days in office.
“Pak Jokowi doesn’t want research efforts in each state institution to stand alone. Our research funding is not great. If we don’t integrate the research efforts, each researcher will only get a very small portion for their research,” Bambang said in a recent statement.
He said he was still conducting studies on the establishment, especially related to the research funding as the ministry and the agency will manage research-endowment funds, which in the first phase stood at Rp 900 billion (US$ 64.12 million).
“I am formulating the organization. Our long-term goal is to create research and innovation of international quality,” he said.
Research in Indonesia is currently carried out disparately by dozens of institutions within the government and private sector without being integrated together. Many analysts believe that such lack of integration and collaboration is a stumbling block to research and innovation development in the country as it hinders authorities in disbursing research funding effectively.
