The program featured 18 thematic sessions across five discussion streams, covering Digital and AI; Education, Research and Innovation; Human Capital and Education; and two on Sustainability.

The seventh edition of the Week of Indonesia–Netherlands Education and Research (WINNER) 2026 conference was held on Oct. 6-8 in Jakarta and Amsterdam and was attended by academia, professionals and policymakers from both countries, the organizer said in a statement issued on Sunday.

“I hope WINNER 2026 will open new opportunities, generate new ideas and build stronger connections between our people and institutions,” Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said in his opening remarks, which was delivered virtually, as quoted in the statement issued on Sunday.

“Let's make this partnership not only stronger but more impactful, turning knowledge into solutions, collaborations into innovations and innovation into progress for our societies.”

Brian’s counterpart Dutch Education, Culture and Science Minister Rianne Monique Letschert said that her government planned to renew a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia on cooperation in higher education, research and science, a Dutch minister announced recently.

“And for many years, this conference has brought Dutch and Indonesian researchers, educators, and policy advisers together, sharing their knowledge and developing new initiatives,” she said, as quoted in a statement from the organizer.

“That’s also why we plan to renew the memorandum of understanding on our collaboration in higher education, research and science because that collaboration is all about. And we work together, we all win.”

The conference opening ceremony was held at the Higher Education, Science, and Technology Ministry building in Jakarta. Attending the opening ceremony physically were Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Marc Gerritsen, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) head Arif Satria, and the ministry’s Science and Technology director general Ahmad Najib Burhani.

On the second day, more than 120 participants attended the event in person at Trisakti University, while others joined the sessions online from Indonesia and the Netherlands.

Various Indonesia-Netherlands initiatives and collaborative topics were discussed, ranging from blue economy research, Green Batik, and the use of QGIS to Nusantara digital twins, sanitation education and research infrastructure. These discussions provided opportunities for academics, researchers and institutions from both countries to exchange experiences and explore further avenues for cooperation.

The NL Knowledge House Think Tank brought together 15 participants from the Netherlands and 70 from Indonesia to encourage the exchange of perspectives among experts and stakeholders.

The forum served as a platform for connecting shared ideas and interests with more concrete opportunities for collaboration.

Discussions on human capital development also highlighted the need to prepare people for changes in the world of work, including by strengthening digital and AI skills and promoting lifelong learning.

The third day of the conference took place at Indonesia House in Amsterdam.

The program included remarks by the Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung, a panel discussion titled “Sustaining Indonesia-Netherlands Collaboration for Competitive, Resilient Societies”, a presentation on the outcomes of the Dutch Training and Exposure Program (DUTEP), and the INS Thesis Prize 2026 awards ceremony.

The DUTEP session highlighted the Jakarta-Rotterdam cooperation program on water management and climate change adaptation as an example of knowledge exchange that can support capacity building and the exploration of solutions to urban challenges.

In his closing remarks, Laurentius emphasized the importance of sustaining the partnership between the two countries.

He noted that WINNER’s impact should not be measured solely by the number of sessions or participants, but also by the partnerships established, knowledge shared and ideas that continue to develop long after the program ends.

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