Jakarta. Indonesia must
increase investment in research and innovation to increase its future
competitiveness and tap into its economic potential, British Ambassador Moazzam
Malik said during an event in Jakarta last week.
"Indonesia will need to
increase investments in research and innovation, while also fostering
partnerships between local and international research institutions to increase
the quality and capability of Indonesian research," Malik said.
He added that this is
crucial for Indonesia to compete in the future, especially because funds
dedicated for research and innovation in the country are still relatively
scarce.
In Indonesia, the United
Kingdom has invested £18 million ($23.6 million) through the Newton Fund
program to support researchers until at least 2021.
The Newton Fund promotes
economic development and social welfare in developing countries, primarily
focusing on strengthening local science and innovation capacity and supporting
it by providing access to UK expertise and research facilities.
The investment was matched
by £6 million (US$7.8 million) by the Ministry of Research, Technology and
Higher Education, the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) and the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
"This program is not an
aid program, but a cooperation […] I believe in working together and succeeding
together, and this is one such example. The British government is committed to
invest and support Indonesia’s development," Malik said.
The Jakarta Globe spoke to
participants of the program, some of whom will be doing research on bio-fuels
at one of the world’s most advanced scientific facilities, the Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory in Oxford, England.
"This is a privilege
for us because Rutherford Appleton are equipped with big facilities that we
don’t currently have in Indonesia. We are hoping that through our research,
cooperation and collaboration, our ongoing research will improve in quality and
be more optimized so that we can further develop them in Indonesia," said
Indri Badria Adilina, a LIPI researcher at the institute's research center for
chemistry.
Indri and her team will
begin her research at Oxford next year, and the program is expected to continue
for at least four years.
As for Siti Fariya, a junior
lecturer at the Technological Institute Adhi Tama Surabaya (ITATS), the Newton
Fund is funding her pursuit to obtain a doctorate degree at the University of
Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, where she plans to conduct research on ship
recycling.
The shipping industry has
long played an important role in bolstering the national economy of Indonesia,
an archipelago nation.
However, Siti discovered
through her research that most ships in Indonesia operate far beyond their age
restrictions set by regulators such as the International Maritime Organization
(IMO).
"Ships older than 25
years are generally required to go through recycling. However, Indonesia
doesn’t have the appropriate facilities to conduct this yet," Siti said.
At Strathclyde, Siti will
conduct research on developing a concept ship recycling yard in Indonesia.
Source:
Jakarta
globe. 14 November 2017
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