Nadiem: Connection Program Strengthens Indonesia And Australia Research Ecosystems

Minister Of Education And Technology Nadiem Makarim/DOCUMENTATION BETWEEN

JAKARTA - Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Anwar Makarim stated that the Australian Indonesia's Collaboration and Innovation Partnership (Koneksi) program will be able to strengthen the research ecosystem of the two countries.

"Synergy and collaboration established in the Connection program will further strengthen the research ecosystem in both countries," he said in the Launch of the Connection Program reported by ANTARA, Monday, November 13.

The Australian-Indonesian partnership program, which will last for the next five years, aims to strengthen partnerships involving universities, research institutions, scientific communities, and academic communities in both countries as an effort to build scientific culture and develop science and technology.

This program facilitates universities and research institutions on innovative research activities, especially in the form of collaboration between institutions and scientific communities affiliated with universities and non-university research institutions.

The implementation of the Connection program adheres to the principles of equality and inclusiveness by involving all parties including scientific research institutions and communities that have good capacity and high competence in the field of research that is relevant and necessary for development.

Multi-party collaboration between researchers, industry players, and policymakers is expected to make important donations for the development of science and technology and innovation.

The implementation of the Connection program involves three main stakeholders from the Indonesian government, namely the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and the National Innovation Research Agency (BRIN).

These three ministries/agencies together with the Australian government are responsible for providing strategic directions regarding the policies and implementation of the program.

Nadiem said the concept of the Connection program is in line with the breakthrough of Merdeka Learning Campus Merdeka (MBKM), the Kedaireka platform which was launched in 2020.

He explained that the Kedaireka platform also encourages cross-sectoral collaboration between universities and industries to conduct joint research and joint projects through the support of the Matching Fund or Padanan Fund.

"This platform (Kedaireka) has bridged more than 15 thousand collaborations and created a much more independent research and innovation culture," he said.

Nadiem also hopes that the presence of the Connection program which makes research and innovation the foundation of science and policies will make the results of university research can have a wider and more meaningful impact.