BRIN Chief: Regional Innovation Key to Boosting National Competitiveness

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Arif Satria, has stressed that strengthening regional innovation is the key to enhancing national competitiveness.

Satria called on regional leaders across Indonesia to bolster local innovation capacity in order to improve national competitiveness, as part of efforts to accelerate the transformation towards Golden Indonesia 2045.

“BRIN has an obligation to work together with the regions to strengthen innovation competitiveness across all parts of Indonesia,” he said at the launch of the 2025 Regional Competitiveness Index (IDSD) in Jakarta on Tuesday.

In efforts to boost regional innovation, Satria stated that his agency stands ready to assist through BRIN’s regional extensions, including Regional Research and Innovation Agencies (Brida) and Regional Development Planning, Research and Innovation Agencies (Baperida) across various areas.

To maximise the effectiveness of Brida and Baperida, he continued, both vertical and horizontal approaches are needed so that innovation can be commercialised more quickly, thereby having a direct impact on improving competitiveness.

“Innovation can originate from the regions, but it can also come from the centre to be implemented in the regions,” Satria explained.

He underscored the importance of continuity between vision and execution to ensure the transformation proceeds effectively and inclusively.

“The continuity between vision and execution must be balanced. So that a vision is not merely a vision — we translate it into strategy, right through to execution. That is essentially the true nature of the transformation process,” Satria said.

“Innovation and good governance are the primary levers for prioritising and accelerating development. Therefore, innovation and technology must be spread to even the most remote areas,” said Rachmat Pambudy.