Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science,\nand Technology, Fauzan, has encouraged Indonesian universities to\nestablish consortiums as a collective platform to address regional\ndevelopment issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegarding the governance of higher education from year to year, I\nbelieve there has been positive dynamics. However, there is one matter\nthat must be our shared consideration: whether our universities can\nstrengthen their contribution to development?\u201d said the Deputy Minister\nin a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Fauzan emphasised that universities need to continuously evaluate the\nextent to which their presence is felt by the community. He noted that\nhigher education is a strategic asset, as campuses serve as the primary\nspace for human resource development. Consequently, this capacity must\nbe directed towards the real problems faced by various regions.<\/p>\n
Specifically, Fauzan highlighted universities in the Riau and Riau\nIslands (Kepri) regions. According to him, both areas possess strong\ndevelopment capital alongside unique challenges. Riau\u2019s economy is\nrecorded as the sixth largest nationally, while the Riau Islands\nrecorded the third-highest growth in Indonesia during the third quarter\nof 2025, with a Human Development Index of 80.53, ranking third highest\nin the country. However, the subsequent challenge is ensuring that this\ngrowth aligns with labour absorption.<\/p>\n
Based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the open\nunemployment rate in the Riau Islands stood at 6.94 per cent as of\nFebruary 2025. Other challenges include regional disparities. In Riau,\nthe poverty rate in the Meranti Islands was recorded at 23.15 per cent,\ncompared to 3.14 per cent in Dumai City. In the Riau Islands, the\nhighest poverty rate is in Natuna Regency at 8.06 per cent, while Batam\nCity stands at 4.03 per cent.<\/p>\n
In the health sector, the prevalence of stunting in Riau increased\nfrom 13.6 per cent in 2023 to 20.1 per cent in 2024, exceeding the World\nHealth Organization (WHO) threshold.<\/p>\n
The Deputy Minister assessed that such significant potential and\nchallenges cannot be resolved by a single university acting alone. He\nsuggested that various expertise, programmes, resources, and campus\nfacilities could be gathered through university consortiums to work\ntowards the same objectives.<\/p>\n
\u201cA consortium is essentially about building an ecosystem to advance\nhigher education while simultaneously contributing to regional\ndevelopment,\u201d explained Fauzan.<\/p>\n
He cited the example of a university consortium in East Nusa Tenggara\n(NTT) that brings together 27 universities to tackle stunting and\npoverty. Through thematic community service programmes (KKN) focused on\nstunting family assistance, thousands of students are deployed to\nvillages under the guidance of lecturers, while simultaneously producing\nresearch that can be utilised by local governments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe research addresses existing problems in the region. Thus, upon\ngraduation, they submit their dissertations, which can serve as the\nbasis for regional policy recommendations,\u201d the Deputy Minister\nadded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-encourages-universities-to-strengthen-collaboration-for-regional-development-1785657479", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }